He gives their hand a single pump up and down, being very careful not to jostle them too severely. Theyâre as small as Joltik, and as far as Oshawott is concerned, one wrong move is likely to send them flying.
âItâs very far from the other PokePark!â he says with confidence, then: ââŠthatâs what Iâve heard, at least. Iâve never been out there.â
Theyâve left and come back? Thatâs very interesting. Very interesting indeed! Maybe Wish Park has made Oshawott cynical; when he arrived here without first being asked if he wanted to come, he had just assumed that those responsible wouldnât ask if he wanted to leave, either.
âIs there an exit portal somewhere? I should tell my Pals Iâm safe so they donât worry!â
Oh, no. Why had he said that? Itty wonât trust him to handle this case at all if they think he let himself get snatched up and dropped here! âŠeven if thatâs exactly whatâs happened.
âNo-oo⊠me? Get kidnapped? Donât be silly! I just heard that other Pokemon were being taken here against their will! Naturally, I snuck in to investigate from the inside! So donât worry, Ittyâ if thereâs anything suspicious going on around here, you can count on me to stop it!â
âOh...!â That tells them nothing! âSo youâve lived in a park your whole life? That sounds so fun!â
âIf thereâs an exit, Iâve never seen it... People just kinda appear around the big hole, but I donât think you can leave through it.â
Itty climbs up out of the snow to sit on top of it, rapt. He came here intentionally? Theyâve never seen anyone do that! Suddenly theyâre absolutely bursting with questions.
âWhoa, really? You can do that?? Whereâd you come in, can you leave through there? Or did you get stuck after? Why didnât you tell your friends you were gonna go? Ooh, are you on a secret mission?â
Oshawott makes a small noise of surprise, reeling backwards for a moment before he manages to pinwheel his arms enough to right himself. Thereâs a little Pokemon in his snow! âŠhow long have they been in there? At least theyâve decided to pop out now, and not after Oshawott has toiled tirelessly to create a fully-formed masterpiece of a snowman.
âYou recognize me!â Oshawott himself has never heard of an âItalma,â but a one-way awareness is better than all the confusion heâs experienced and been met with so far.
âHi, Itty!â He waves, bouncing once on the tips of his hind paws. âIâm Oshawott! Iâm from PokePark.â Heâs never seen Itty there, and heâs met all the longtime visitors.
âAre you from here? Orââ Oshawott leans forward and lowers his voice, his expression suddenly serious and conspiratorial. ââhave you been kidnapped too?â
âOh, yeah! Well, I mean, Iâm not totally sure if I got kidnapped, but Iâm not from here. I was here for a few months, nâthen now Iâm here again. Wait, do you mean--â
They lean in too, lowering their voice at the last moment and looking at him with wide eyes. âDo you mean you got kidnapped??â
Ushered in by the freshly fallen snow, the island's traditional winter season festival, WinterFES, returns once again. Whether it is activities of old, or perhaps even something new, there is plenty to enjoy. This year the festival will run until the end of January!
As a note: these activities are separate from any ongoing or upcoming events and you are free to participate in both! Just keep in mind that WinterFES activities do not count towards ranking up, because this is not an event.
FIBONACCI WARD
BUILD-A-GINGERBREAD MAN
High-tech meets sweet treats in this customized kitchen. For a price of (dust), citizens of Spirale can use screens to design a gingerbread cookie to their likeness. You can watch machines behind the glass cut, bake, and decorate your cookie as you command. You could make a gift for your friend⊠or make a cookie that looks like your worst enemy, and bite off their face. Thereâs something for everyone!
SOUPS UP
For the duration of December a giant pot of soup can be found in the center of Fibonacci. The type of soup changes from day to day, and how it replenishes nobody is quite sure! Regardless it is free for the taking and never dries out. Could this be the work of our goddess Ofiuco? Or could it be something more sinister? (It isnât more sinister, itâs free soup.)
ICE TO MEET YOU
A station has been set up in Fibonacci where you can come to view and sculpt ice sculptures. If you destroy any creations that are not your own, expect to have all of the Dust emptied from your account you jerk. All sculptures must be safe for work.
COTES WARD
QUID PRO SNOW
Wandering in Cotes, itâs not foreign to see pixies, especially in their playground. However, it seems theyâve invited their frosty little cousins known as frost fairies over to play a few games with them⊠and you! Making your way into here can land you a pretty sweet reward, given the price you pay. That is, these fairies will be more than happy to make you anything you wish out of the snow and ice were you to give them a small treat or a gift of their liking.
IâM GOING GHOST⊠INTERACTING!
Traveling through the Forest of Airaisal, one can find a passageway that mysteriously opens up on its own, leading to a path less traveled. Whether you choose to take it or not is entirely up to you. Electing to traverse it, youâll find yourself in a small, private glen where you will encounter the ghost of your past, present, or future self. Whichever appears is up to you, though once it appears youâre welcome to interact with it as you deem fit. Maybe you want to console your past self that everything will be alright? Or perhaps youâd like to reflect on your present self, or at least the one that exists before you arrived here in Spirale. Thereâs also the option to speak to your future self, on what they think of you now, or maybe guidance on what might come. The possibilities are endlessâŠ
NOM RANCHING
Visitors to the ward, especially around the Eternal Tree, will come to find magical marshmallow treats that appears to be causing chaos due to magical means! Whether itâs pelting themselves against passing visitors, knocking precious things over, or merely just circling about as a chaotic distraction, itâs clear the only way to keep them in check is to capture them and have a sweet treat so they donât overwhelm the area. Hopefully you came with an empty stomach and a sweet tooth, to boot!
GOLDEN WARD
SNOWFLAKE SCAVENGER
The Mermaid Cove Mall planned on having dancing snowflakes as an attraction, but it seems the snowflakes formed a mind of their own and⊠danced right off of their displays! Deciding to salvage the situation, the mall is now making a game out of itâfind five of them and bring them back to the desk, and you win a gift card! Watch out, though. The snowflakes are notoriously hard to capture, and seem to take your own strengths into account⊠This wonât be an easy task!
XTREME ICE CHALLENGE
The ocean shores of the boardwalk have become completely frozen and boating is no longer possible nearby. But that doesnât mean there isnât fun to be had there! An obstacle course has been made for the daring complete with icy ramps, jumps, and obstacles.. Come with skates or without, but the organizers take no responsibility if you slip and break your nose.
SILVER-WHITE WINTERS
For the duration of WinterFES, Spirale University is offering a different selection of classes related to the season. There are knitting classes where you can learn to make mittens and scarves, latte art classes to help you decorate your warm drinks for the season, and general classes to help you learn to wrap presents like a pro!
ARCHIMEDES WARD
CAROLS OF THE BELLES
On evenings in the Archimedes ward, ringing through the streets from the Calliope Theater courtyard, youâll hear voices as lovely as the singers using them. A chorus known as the Winter Belles begin their lovely lyrical lineup, and the concerts are free to attend. There are also a few open slots to join them, as long as you attend chorus practice.
CRYSTAL FUNHOUSE
This large palace is made entirely of ice, and from the inside, one can hear chimes through its halls. Inside are several attractions: a mirror room, a hall full of beautiful ice sculptures, a complementary shaved ice bar for those crazy enough to eat them in this weather⊠But follow the chimes, and youâll enter the ballroom, which is completely dark save for the tile floor. Each step you take makes a note that sounds most like you, and the ballroom lights up to the tune of your very soul as you dance across the floor⊠âŠWhat would happen if two people danced together?
YOU BAKE IT YOU BUY IT
Throughout the Star Trail, many stalls have been shifted around in order to make a large area for those who wish to put their skills to the test in what seems a continuous bake off. Not only that, but it seems they require volunteers to be the judges of the savory sweets that are gonna be pumped out throughout the days. Fancy yourself an excellent baker who can blow the socks off of any taster who tries your dish or those who wish to place their palettes to the test? Well, have a seat and be served⊠quite literally!
MISTWOOD
TERRES-TREE-AL DECORATING
Once more, a safe passage has been made into the Mistwood, leading to an area called the Travelerâs Garden. Some might remember the need to plant more trees and wonât be surprised to find that those planted back in Spring have now sprouted rapidly and is ready for decorating! Those who planted them can find them in the same spots with several boxes around them full of holiday decorations to get them decorated and ready to shine bright for the snowy season. Oh, and no worries, even if you werenât able to plant one back in Spring, youâre still more than welcome to help decorate them!
TIS THE SKI-SON
In a clearing that breaks off from the decorating, various large hills of snow have sprung up from out of nowhere. Trekking up to the top or taking a ride on a few snowmobiles manned by some island residents will reveal that itâs a makeshift ski and snowboarding attraction! Once fitted with one of your preference, as well as given a safety helmet and goggles, youâre free to slide down those slippery slopes and show off to your pals. Or maybe youâll just biff it as you catch sight of that rumored dragon in the distance as you ski on down!
SWIRLING GULF
SOMETHING SEEMS ICE-FISHY
While the Swirling Gulf can still be accessed, it would seem that a large portion of the waters nearby has been magically frozen over in a thick sheet of ice that can be reached with their submarine transportation system, allowing many people to walk with ease across it. Several holes have been drilled into it as well, allowing people to partake in ice fishing! Though a various amount of fish can be caught, there is also the risk of danger that you may be (un?)lucky to find a murderous large fish at the end of your line. But that could just be a rumor, right? No way thereâs some large ghost fish or dangerous sea creature that you could reel in, rightâŠ
SNOWMANNING THE FORT
Deep below, found in various areas of the sunken city such as the Mainland, Coral Bay, and even near the Kelp Forest, snow that never melts has been brought down and packed into areas where many can build snowmen to their liking. Laced with bioluminescent qualities that offer you any type of color, you can make colorful creations come to life with ease. Not only that, but once completed, the snowman will imprint the emotion belonging to its creator, expressing itself in an exaggerated display on how they currently feel. Whether theyâre the happiest theyâve ever been or happen to be a little Scrooge-y at the time, these snowmen are ways to express yourself from the bottom of your heart.
THE CITY OF GLASS
ONSEN AND OFFSEN
Recently, thereâs been some magmatic activity closer to the surface on the back side of the volcano⊠suspected Nuee Ardente Society activity. Nothing (too) dangerous, though, and in fact, it happens to be below a spring source, turning the small ponds and water pools around the area into hot springs! Despite the snow blanketing most of the rest of the island, the areas immediately surrounding the pools are kept clear, mainly by the hot cocoa vendors who are taking advantage of this sales opportunity. Be careful, though, because the magma flow isnât constant, and the temperature of the water can fluctuate in either direction, for better or for worse.
JUST THE WAY YOU LIGHT IT
Leading up to the natural tunnel that gives access to the renown Garden of Ash, many might take note of a beautiful array of lights and colorful flowers that are laid out like a path into the garden itself. Itâs highly encouraged to take this path at night, where many hand strewn designs light up in the dwindling hours, also illuminating the various plants which grow in the ashen soils, all while making the already falling ash even more snow-like to fit the snowy landscape the island has become. Some of the lights can even reflect of any glass in the vicinity, creating an almost kaleidoscope effect that can take the breath away of onlookers.
SUNSET CIRCUIT
RINK AROUND THE CIRCUITS
While more daring skaters might take fun in Golden Ward, more casual goers might find a bit more joy in the ice skating rink set up on the shores of Moon Beach where the waters have been frozen over and smoothed out. Even more alluring, the ice beneath seems to have a mesmerizing array of glowing colors that light up and forms into playful patterns beneath the ice to the beat of the current playlist. Whether you bring your own ice skates or have them provided, youâll be sure to have a blast gliding along the top of the neon colors!
SNOW FUN ALLOWED
Thereâs a designated arena, full to the brim with snow that never seems to run out, dirty, or melt. Events take place not only throughout the day but also well into the night, with the arena being well-illuminated even at the darkest of hours. A good portion of the arena has been set up with barricades and obstacles for the ideal snowball fight zone, with regular switches between free-for-all or team games; the remainder has been sectioned off to protect any poor bystanders from errant deckings in the face, and is much more for making snowmen, snow angels, or any other sorts of snow activities you can think of.
SKY-STREWN ISLES
AN UPLIFTING WINTER FAIR
Life has gathered from far and wide to partake in a wintery celebration that spans the entirety of The Uplift. Snow falls from the sky and gathers on the area's many steps, and it would be quite a tumble if you were to slip and fall down them. You can find all manners of stalls, selling things from warm treats to winter clothes and toys. The perfect place to take a partner or friend to in order to enjoy some hot cocoa!
DON'T LOOK OUT BELO(H NO!)
Because of the colder, snowy weather, steep slopes and ramps have formed between the isles and have been repurposed for the Ultimate Skiing Experience. Just keep in mind that you are jumping between flying islands, and there is absolutely no service available to save you if you fall. That means it's best you have wings, levitation, or know someone who does to come with you!
THE ECHO
CAROL OF THE (C)OLD ONES
Even the Abyssal denizens in the Echo seem to be in the festive spirit. Taking the new crystal elevator in the museum lobby leads visitors down to the depths of Abyss, letting them out in a place that looks like a banquet. In this 360 degree crystal dome, the shadowy monstrosities outside the barrier begin to manifest... except they all seem to form a choir of beautiful, ethereal voices. As guests have dinner in the dome, they may see the shadows put on spectacular light shows in the darkness, like stars in an ever-present void. This is a formal event, dress for the occasion!
    admittedly, delta wasnât the most observant of people; having been conditioned to focus on one thing -one person- only. but that person was no longer at his side, and he wondered if he was more likely to notice something that reminded him of her, such as ( what he assumed was ) a doll that someone left behind with a set of keys. with a quiet, curious rumble he bent down to pick up the toy carefully. it fit entirely in his palm- small even for most dolls, he thought.Â
   it wasnât until he brought his hand up to his faceplate that he realized the âobjectâ wasnât that at all - it was alive. aâŠminiature person. this time, a sound of surprise; heâd known this place was odd from his last visit, but this was entirely new. delta gave an apologetic groan, feeling more than a bit foolish for not realizing he had just picked up someone without so much as a warning. and the more he studied the tiny person, the more they looked like a child - which made that feeling of guilt intensify.Â
   using his index finger, delta gently patted their head in apology before moving to sit down on the grass and placing them next to him on it - so they could leave if they wished. though he hoped they wouldnât. they looked soâŠfragile. he didnât want them to get hurt if someone less careless than himself happened across them.Â
The grass here isnât tall to most folks, but it is sort of tall to Italma, which means theyâre supposed to be extra careful of strangers. Though all theyâve found out here is really small bugs, and they arenât even very talkative, so Ittyâs ended up sitting and watching some ants crawl by. Then they hear someone behind them, and before they can turn around--
...Um.
Theyâre picked up without being asked, which... happens often enough that they donât freak out about it, because sometimes other kids donât know any better, or donât realize theyâre a person.Â
...Though, this doesnât seem like a kid. He does seem apologetic when he realizes, though, and Itty blinks as their head is patted with a surprising gentleness. So itâs just a friendly person! Talking to someone is way more interesting than staring at ants, which they are getting very bored of.
âOh, thatâs okay!â They say when they realize heâs offering to put them down. Theyâre not entirely sure if itâs a question or a request, but if he insists, theyâll step down.
âYou should usually ask to pick people up,â they add helpfully, âbut youâre nice, so, I forgive you! Iâm Italma, but people call me Itty! Whatâs your name?â
Oh. Theyâre one of those. Lup canât help but wrinkle her nose a little at Itty turning out to beâwellâsuch a narc. But they seem nice enough, if misguided; she chooses not to pick a fight about it.Â
Especially because the fairy seems to be very impressed by her fighting skills. That, at least, is not mixed up at all. âYeah, Iâm real strong,â she allows, puffing her chest out. âItâs not that hard to beat grownups, actâly! Lot of âem are just dumb ânâ donât believe a girl can kick their ass. So they slip up.â
âYou get magic from your keys? Are they um.â Whatâs the word. ââŠen⊠âŠenchanted?â
From their what? Lup figures it must be some kinda fairy word. They have a whole different language, donât they? âYeah, okay! Climb on up here, fairy!â She gladly extends her hand out to let Itty on, ears twitching curiously. If this works, she might even be able to find Taako.
(For a narc, Itty isnât so bad.)
Lup is so cool, Itty canât believe it. They canât imagine beating grown-ups in a fight, even if they were underestimated! She must be super good at it.
Their cheeks darken a little, though, at that last bit about it. âDo you--um--do you not get in trouble for cussing?â
âOh, no! The keys arenât magic on their own...â they remember a lot of people here donât know how their magic works at all, which is still so odd--itâs stuff that everyone knows on their own world! âIt used to be a Celebi figurine before they turned it into a key ring! So I can pull magic power out of that history.â
Thereâs more to it than that, but that seems like a decently simple explanation!
Italma steps onto Lupâs hand and sits down, and they lay their tiny palms on hers. They concentrate for a few moments, and then... âOh, he does look like you! You guys were sleeping in this cramped little room... itâs kind of shaky, too? The whole room! Weird. And then...â
And then thereâs this strange emptiness where history should be, much the same as what they felt when they tried to see into the past of these plastic keys theyâd arrived with. Itâs unnatural. Unsettling.
âAnd then you were just... here. That shouldnât be... you were...â they shut their eyes, concentrating harder. âYou were sleeping in there, and then thereâs just--nothing, for a minute, and then youâre in the city.â
They look up apologetically. âIâm sorry, thatâs really weird! Thatâs usually not how this goes!â
they fold their paws beneath their chest, cocking their head to one side in consideration. seeing such a tiny pokemon that looks so much like a human⊠itâs weird. but kinda cool!
ânice to meet you too, itty. pokemon donât look like you on my world, so itâs just as surprising for me to see you too!â
they let out a trilling giggle of their own. âdo you know memo? sheâs a jirachi, but she looks more like you than me.â
A whole other world...? Itâs not so odd to hear that there are pokemon from other words--some of them come from space, after all! But it is odd that someone as unique as Mew would be... from there? Or a whole different Mew? They havenât met the one on their world in person, so they canât quite be sure.
Itâs pretty amazing, though!
âWhoa, really? Well, some pokemon from my world look like you! Um--not exactly you, but less like me!â
âThereâs a Jirachi here, too?! The one on my worldâs asleep, is she asleep? ...Iâve barely seen any pokemon here, and mostly theyâve been humanoids like me.â
âItâs alright. Iâm sure you do.â Although he still doesnât understand quite what they mean.
âYou see memories, then, rather than current thoughts? Is that it?â Something like near-automatic mnemosurgery? Incredible. Rungâs glad that such an ability seems to be held by someone with at least some regard for other people, unlike Sunder and his talent for remote work. Rung was a little startled by Itty doing something like that so abruptly, but heâs already begun to calm down; it seems obvious that there was no malicious intent behind the Pokemonâs actions.
âOh?â Pokemon or human? Some sort of colony, then, perhaps?
âYour home sounds very interesting! Iâm familiar with humans, unless the type I know differs from the humans in your reality. Iâve become something of a traveler myself recently, too; would you mind telling me more? I adore travelogues.â
Particularly when they detail worlds and civilizations heâs never even heard of before. Thatâs one nice thing about Spirale, Rung supposes; while oneâs personal opportunities for travel and discovery are inherently limited, thereâs no shortage of stories one can hear about othersâ adventures.
They just said they donât see memories! Can he even hear them right from way up there? Itty slings their key ring over their shoulder and starts to climb up the wall of the nearest building, aided by the grooves between bricks. They make it up to a windowsill--still well below eye level, but also out of the way of any potential foot traffic.
âNot memories!â they reiterate. How did their ren describe the psychic version?
âI canât hear what you were thinking, or--or see through your eyes, or anything like psychics do. I just see you nâ whatever was around you. From the outside!â They put their hands proudly on their hips as they add, âSometimes I can even notice stuff that you didnât! Canât get that from your memories.â
Italma lights up at the mention of talking about travel. Talking about their history! Thatâs their favorite!! âYeah! But youâve gotta tell me about places youâve been, too!â
âHmm... last year, we visited a city made of allll ice! It was built into these huge underground caves, annnd youâd think itâd be dark nâ slippery, but! It wasnât! Some parts of the ice glowed like lamps, because they grew stuff in there that was bioluminescent,â they say, clearly pleased with themself for knowing the word. âAlthough, I think, a lot of the people there liked the dark too. There were more lights around where tourists pass through than most other places in the city.â
Sheâd continue like this if she didnât hear a different sound coming from her new toyâ a voice? She looks down and finds upon closer inspection⊠a very small being. Are they a bug? She canât tell from their size. She brings the ring closer, trying to get a better look at the creature holding onto the ring. Is this their ring? Itâs a bit too big for them, if you ask her. It fits her hand perfectly. Theyâd have to drag it around everywhere with them. Itâs got to be the size of their whole body, at least! Itâd be much better if she had it instead. Besides, it makes such a lovely noiseâŠ
âŠBut even if she wants it very badly, it isnât hers. She places the ring back on the ground. Who is this tiny person, anyway? They donât seem fleshyâŠ
âYouâre⊠bug?â She asks. Sheâs never met a bug this small, but if they are one, maybe they can help her get back home.
Oh, thank goodness. The stranger puts Itty down without much more fuss, and theyâre able to compose themself a little. They finally get a better look at the other pokemon... are they a kid, too? They seem kind of young, actually, although Itty doesnât recognize the species, so theyâre not sure.
âBug? No, Iâm Fairy nâ Steel,â Itty says clearly. This kid, though, she looks like she might be Bug-type... maybe? If she is a pokemon, anyway. Lots of things in the city somehow arenât, which is still so bizarre. But!! Bug is a pokemon type!!
Thereâs something oddly familiar about her, too, but they canât quite put their finger on it. Maybe itâs nothing.
   They shake their head quick, shoulders raising up. Ah, no, Italmaâs got them mistaken⊠Lucah keys in different terms into the Lodestar this time, but not with the intent to actually search for them. They type slowly so that they didnât overwhelm the Klefki.
not before now
   After a momentâs pause to ensure the other had read it, they backspace the phrase, and enter a new one in the search bar.
are you new?
   Lucah figured that they were asking a redundant question since neither name(?) nor location rang any bells, but it was polite to ask anyway. There was a certain Tower that they had once searched for, but they had understood they would not find the exact one, once the reality of Spirale had sunk in. This was no Dream, after all.
   Others from Paradise had appeared, but not any landmarks, not truly. And yes, everything felt possible here, but⊠With the sun restored to gold, Lucah knew those chances were very, very low. It wasnât personal; they simply believed this Destiny Tower must be no different, subject to the same ârulesâ.
   The Marked One peeked over the top of a wing to see if theyâd attracted any unwanted attention, but everyone seemed to be minding their own business. Good. They duck back in to erase the word ânewâ from the phrase, replacing it to change the phrase a final time:
are you  alone?
They... havenât heard of Destiny Tower? Thatâs unusual. Maybe not totally impossible, though... Could this be a different part of the world, somehow? And maybe that search thing only searches locally! Thatâs no good. Itâs kind of scary to think that they might be so far from home.
âOh, um, yeah! Iâve never been here before... Iâm not sure how I got here, either.â They frown down at their key ring again. Who put those plastic keys on there? And why? Did someone think it belongs to them?
At the second question, they sway the ring back and forth a few times, anxious.
âYeah... I mean, Iâm allowed to walk around by myself sometimes! But I donât think Iâm supposed to be this far from home. We must be pretty far away if you donât even know what Destiny Tower is. So Iâve gotta figure out how to get back!â
âElement?â Well, now Lup is a little bewildered, but heyâshe doesnât know a whole super lot about fairies, maybe thereâs⊠âŠsteel⊠âŠones. âOh. Well, I do steal, ânâ I can teach you sometime, if you want! Itâs not as hard as it looks.â She looks incredibly proud of her skills in this area, and why not? Sheâs def earned it.
âYeah,â Lup crows excitedly, âyeah, I would! I fight all these huge dumb stupid adults all the time and they canât hardly touch me practically. Itâs really badass.â
(If she does say so herself, and she does.)
âYou could fight pretty good with those,â she says of the keys, gesturing, ââcept those are illegal so it wouldnât count. Also, those⊠âŠarenât even real keys, huh? Maybe they wouldnât be so good at it after all.â She canât help but wrinkle her nose at the thought of Itty swinging dumb colorful plastic keys around, obvious and neon-colored. âAnd you canât even use fairy magics either, that gets you disqualified real fast. But youâre probâly pretty good at beinâ sneaky, âcuz youâre so small⊠No offense.â
A pause as she considers this.
âWell, I can definitely help you find your parents, if you want,â Lup promises without a second thought. Koko would be so disappointed that she keeps offering to help people, but honestly? A lot of folks around here need her pretty bad. Itâs starting to dawn on her that not a lot of people⊠âŠseem to want to be here, or know how they got here. âIf weâve all been kidnapped, we gotta work together. Going homeâs important.â
She thinks of Taako and wrings her hands, and speaking ofâ
âWhoa, really? Thatâd be so cool! How do you do that?â For someone so tiny, Itty is sure powerful. Fairies are like that, Lup guesses.
âOh gosh, no, stealingâs against the law!â Not to mention that itâs mean, and they know theyâd never erase the history it has. It wouldnât belong to them! âI wonât tell on you, but I donât wanna get in trouble.â
Their eyes go wide. Fighting adults in a serious competition? Thereâre usually regulations against that! Lup must be super good at it. âThatâs amazing! Thereâs no way I could beat a grown-up in a fight.â
âHuh? Oh, those plastic ones arenât real, but these ones are!â They turn the key ring around to show off the three metal ones hanging alongside them. âI wouldnât use them as a weapon, though. Theyâre better as a magic source.â
These plastic keys, though... theyâve been trying to figure out where those are from. âThese ones got added when I woke up here... I guess you donât know who they belong to, either? I havenât been able to find whoever it is!â
They grin proudly when Lup compliments them. Lup thinks theyâre cool?! âYeah!! I in--inherited it from my ren! We gotta be touching, though. I could stand on your hand, if you want!â
Sheâs sat herself down in a nice, grassy area. There arenât many places back home that are this wide open, and she likes it! She thinks sheâs heard it been called a park. They ought to have more of these in Hallownest. Still, the light overhead is very hot and bright, and the child finds herself enjoying the shade of a tree a lot better during the middle of a day.
Content with just pulling grass out of the ground at first, she turns her attention to the tree sheâs been sitting under. Thereâs a hole in the trunk here⊠something glints sunlight from inside. She reaches in, pulling out a ring with several other things attached to it. They make a nice sound when she moves them. She shakes the ring again, hearing that delightful sound again. She giggles, shaking it more fervently as it rattles and clinks against itself.
Italma is taking a nap. Itâs a lovely, sunny day, (a little too hot to be hanging about in direct sunlight, for a steel-type like them), and the partial shade inside this tree ended up looking like a very nice place to lie down. After a while, though, the sun has moved enough that itâs shining in on them again, and theyâre slowly starting to wake up.
And then their key ring moves. Their grip tightens instinctively, just in time to get dragged out of the hole. Disoriented, half awake, they wrap their arms and legs tightly around the ring, as itâs shaken about.
âHEY!!!â They shout as soon as they can manage to get words out. âDonât--agh! Donât take peopleâs things--!! Without permission!!! Itâs rude!!!â
Uhh. Hmm. Cheerful lilâ person, at least. Is this just a natural born mark, or is this person not just very small, or are they actually a kid? Jeepers creepers. He wasnât even that little when he popped out the egg.
âAl, alright. Itty it is then.â They folded up the newspaper and dropped it off to their side, adjusting the cups just so. âMy nameâsâŠâ Is it right to lie to a kid? This would be different if it was just like an adult, but thereâs no way for them to be certain of that right now. Oh! I got it. â⊠Bobo. Bobo Denkirk. At least for now. Sâa stage name. Real oneâs for when Iâm done doing all this, understand?â There. Conscience is satisfied with that, right?
âAlright, champ, works like this. One ball. See?â He produces a little ball in one hand, and places it under the middle cup. âI twist and turn these cups around, and you tell me when Iâm done, where the ballâs at. Followinâ so far, junior?â
Knowing now that itâs a fake name theyâve given them, Itty canât help but laugh. âOkay! Thatâs a pretty silly name.â
They listen to the instructions, nodding as he goes. Oh, theyâre pretty sure they know this game! Itâs a pretty universal thing, and theyâre good at it. Or at least, they were good at it a while ago, whenever the last time they played was.
(Maybe the dealer was just being nice to them because they were a little kid, though. Now theyâre double digits! Nobodyâll go easy on them!)
âIt is, it seems you know your flowers.â Gwin leaned her face into her hand, adopting the most relaxed stance sheâd taken since setting up today and certainly looking the least grim. How absolutely precious⊠They were even smaller than the Hatenna back in the Tangle.
However it seems no serenity can last, the little oneâs words brought her back to reality quite abruptly. Ah⊠A new arrival- a very new arrival. Oh dear, was it better to tell them or keep her mouth shut about it? Theyâll find out sooner or later⊠Was it crueller to say or just let them believe?Â
This internal struggle lasted for a few seconds of silence but it might as well have been hours of mental torture.Â
âY-yes, wellâŠâ
âThere is⊠Some magic at work here. Leaving is⊠Not simple.â Lying would have just been too difficult. âCould you tell me about this tower?â
âI like flowers! I like when thereâs whole fields of âem! Theyâre really colorful!â
By perhaps some mercy of the universe, Italma isnât terribly concerned about not being able to leave, or at least, theyâre not processing it at the moment. âWell, Iâll have to figure it out,â they say, frowning. âMy parents are probâly looking for me.â
Itâs probably just some paperwork or something, right? They can fill out forms. They have pretty good handwriting!
That last question is what really throws them off guard. How can someone not know about the tower? And a Fairy-Type, no less! Itâs supposed to be an enormous source of magic for folks like the two of them.
âYou donât know Destiny Tower?! Itâs a huge monument to Arceus! I was almost there before I ended up here.â
Vaati rolled his eyes, not caring about the tiny personâs show of bravado. After all, heâd been small like that once- you looked at the world differently. He hated that he could understand, it was pissing him off, so he honestly just wanted to leave.
âNo, we are not friends-â
And yet, when he saw them falling, he quickly reached out a hand. it was more of an instinct thing- a part of his mind once more able to understand the fear of falling, matched with the knowledge that the wind would never let him crash. Italma would find themself caught by the same winds whichâd aided Vaati many times over as a young minish, floated gently to the ground by a small breeze.
âTch. Watch yourself. you silly child.â
Italma feels themself slow down, and then they hit the ground much more gently than they should. Oh, he mustâve cast Gust! Or whatever sort of magic you do when youâre not a pokemon. Theyâve got no idea!
âWoww, thank you! You can do magic with the wind? I didnât know anyone other than pokemon could do stuff like that!â They say as they get up, perfectly unharmed. They look carefully over their key ring and everything on it, but it all seems fine, too.
âOh, right! We just met, so we can be friends later! But youâre friend-ly, I think!â
