Protector of the Crown Chapter Four- The Tearstained Forest
Amethyst rushed though the forest with a sense of urgency pulsing through her. The place was right up ahead, and Amethyst swore she knew what was ahead but at the same time couldn't remember what was up there. By rushed, Amethyst's was actually flying not running. Her body seemed out of proportion and not as balanced as usual, but she payed no mind to those feeble facts. Finally a soft blue light temporarily blinded her as she entered the clearing. Whatever was ahead felt important-no- more than just important. Amethyst's very being felt as if it depended on this. Suddenly she felt a very familiar feeling...a tugging sensation that was sucking her out of that lovely light...
"Amethyst! Amethyst wake up!" Onyx's usual bright and upbeat tone was soft and interfered by his grit teeth and the low growl rising in his throat. Hearing his tone and practically feeling the waves of anticipation and protectiveness rolling off his fur, the Espeon slowly opened her bright purple eyes and rolled over to where she was crouching. Team Sunstorm had scavenged the Darkness Canopy until moonhigh and the two exploring Pokemon collapsed on a wide open clearing with many leaves to rest their weary minds and bodies. Amethyst blinked the sleep away from her eyes and trained her eyes on what absorbed Onyx's attention. Even with a rested mind and clear eyes, the Espeon thought that she was still dreaming. Dozens upon dozens of Pokemon slunk out from the bushes, their eyes wide with rage and anger. "Hey, hey! We didn't do anything!" Onyx cried out. Amethyst could tell that he was trying to sound intimidated in order to maybe gain them a small chance at escape, but the statement sounded more as a threat.
She glared at the Umbreon for a brief moment before quickly scanning the crowd of 34- yes she counted- Pokemon that surrounded them in a crescent moon shape. The only side of their circle that no Pokemon surrounded them on manifested in large, steep rocks that formed the edge of the Mystery Dungeon. Many Pokemon in the crowd under normal circumstances wouldn't have been considered dangerous on their own in mystery dungeons, like Sentret, Oddish, Poochyena, Murkcrow and Bellsprout. However there were a few Pokemon who could definitely cause Sunstorm to leave with scars such as Pidgeotto, Nidorina and Nidorino, and Nuzleaf. Suddenly the most logical though Amethyst has had since she woke up popped into her head, bewildering her. 'Wait somethings off. We.... Onyx and I.... are new to this exploration team idea, but we're not dull enough to blindly fall asleep in a Mystery Dungeon.' She knew that they traveled far by the time the moon was in the center of the sky, and she also acknowledged that they were tired, but still. Amethyst wondered if they were really so careless as to fall asleep in a dangerous place.
Out of habit, Amethyst slowly escalated so she straightened her legs to stand from her crouching position and reached for the white Explorers bag that was alway slung around her shoulder to grab a Petrify Orb- a welcome gift from Scout. To her dismay, and as evidence to her previous thought, the white bag was absent from her shoulder; it's usual comforting weight now just a ghost of what it once was. "Onyx" she hissed. "We didn't fall asleep in this dungeon, did we?" The Umbreon looked partly surprised and gazed around as if he just took in his surroundings. "No, I don't think we did Amethyst. I thought we made sure to exit the dungeon before finding that clearing. Also, where in the world is the explorer's bag? I trusted you with it!" Onyx's expression changed from uncertain to angry so quickly Amethyst had a hard time believing that he even looked uncertain in the first place.
"I didn't loose it- cool your head."
"Then where is it?"
"I don't know."
"You just said you did!"
"No, I said I didn't loose it. Not that I knew where it was."
"Please explain to me how you can avoid losing something but not know where it is."
The two Pokemon bickered for a moment- tensions running fever high. Amethyst sighed in defeat. "Listen Onyx. I didn't loose it. That doesn't mean that someone else didn't either." She winced at her wording, but at the present time, she didn't feel like giving straightforward answers. Why was beyond her problems at the moment. Onyx's face shifted from confused to a slight look of doubt. "But it's our bag. Someone other than you and I can't loose it. Don't tell me you're accusing me of loosing it!" The Umbreon began to become angry again before a thought dawned on him. "Unless you mean that someone else who isn't part of Sunstorm..." "Stole it. Yes, I think some prankster Pokemon decided it would be fun to rob us and drop us in a Mystery Dungeon just to get a kick out of it." Amethyst finished. The Umbreon dug his paws into the grass and flexed his tiny claws. "I'm too upset to even mention that you said 'get a kick out of it.' Is that one of your "hoo-mee-n" terms?" He said with the ghost of a smile dancing on his face.
Slowly the two friends backed up to the point where they were shoulder to shoulder and staring out at the crowd they'll have to face in less than just a few moments. I know that you don't have your bag, but that doesn't mean you can't be our Organizer. All you need to focus on is making sure I don't get killed and making sure you don't get hurt. Onyx instructed to Amethyst. The Espeon scoffed at the remark and grinned at Onyx- her eyes gleaming. Are you joking? I'll back you up no matter what. I'll be a front battler, but I can only manage some of the weaker Pokemon. I've been training with Cobalt for a long while now. I think I can manage a horde of Sentret. Amethyst declared through telepathy. Onyx's brave face fell to reveal what concerns he had. But he didn't say anything by mouth or by mind, so Amethyst believed that he agreed with her- even if it took a bit of self-convincing on his part. With a satisfied nod from Amethyst, the duo gazed out on the horde once more. A large Nuzleaf stepped out of the crowd who spread to make a path for the grass type. "Intruders! You have trampled on our grass and destroyed our leaves! You took the life of my foster son! Where are your friends pests?!" The Nuzleaf roared furiously.
"Friends?" Onyx asked quietly to Amethyst. The Espeon furrowed her brow in confusion. "But Nuzleaf..." Amethyst started, but the Nuzleaf interrupted. "Twigs. The names' Twigs." "Ok Twigs. Well, we don't have any other members of our team." Amethyst protested with the small twitch of her ears being the only sign of her irritation. "Here... You can even check our team roster." The Espeon reached for her bag, but the Team Badge was strapped to the bag- and that's the only way to prove that there are no other members of Team Sunstorm. Twigs narrowed his eyes in disbelief causing Amethyst to panic. "Uhh.... Wait!" The Espeon grew excited in anticipation. "Who were our friends? What did they look like?" The Nuzleaf seemed to grow confused at the question, but then shook his head as if deciding something from an internal debate with himself. Twigs crossed his arms and looked through the leafy canopy above them with a thoughtful expression.
"Well... I personally only saw shadows. However... There were four figures. One was suspended in the air- so I suppose that they were a ghost or psychic type, considering that it's shadow didn't have wings." Twigs described. "The other three were two legged Pokemon, but they looked like they were arguing. I couldn't hear due to the distance I spaced myself from them, but I'll tell ya. It was quite the heated argument." Amethyst and Onyx cocked their heads to the side and started to think as to who would be like that. Onyx became frustrated before Amethyst, but he only let it show by narrowing his eyes and a slight twitch of his tail and paws. Twigs grew angry as he described the events after that. "You two..." He points an accusing finger at the Espeon and Umbreon duo. "We're there as well- I could see you. Both of you were curled up, but floating midair. I could see it because the moon was shining right on you. Maybe you were under the effects of Psychic or something, I dunno. But still! One Pokemon pointed at my foster son's nest and whispered something to one of the Pokemon next to them. That Pokemon leaped towards the nest and they....they..." The Nuzleaf no longer had an angry look plastered on hid face. His eyes were large with tears and his face was scrunched up. "They killed my foster son."
The crowd of Pokemon behind Twigs shook their heads in sorrow and some broke into tears. Others roared in outrage. Amethyst went into a state of shock. Who would kill another of their own kind? The Espeon drew a shaky breath as faint memories filled her mind. Just like the humans... Killing one another just for the sake of it... Playing games that injure one another. Amethyst, though she did so unconsciously, believed that the Pokemon were more kind to one another- forbade killing one another due to the pureness in their hearts. "Who... Who was your foster son?" Onyx asked quietly, his eyes haunted by events that certainty don't deserve to be relived. Amethyst's consciousness screamed to ask Onyx questions, but now was not the time. Twigs snuffled his sobs. "A Grovyle. Kip, my tiny...Kip. His original foster father moved away without warning one day- the same day my dearest friend disappeared. Kip used to travel the land with my friend...but that was so long ago..." Twigs continued to sob, but he made no motion to cover his face. Now rage was scribbled once more on the Nuzleaf.
"And you! Both of you. You stayed with the monster to took the life of my foster son. One of the three two legged Pokemon tried to save Kip, but they failed. They ran off after failing, crying over the loss. You stayed with the monster, making you both our enemies!" Twigs cried, but now was not the time to manifest in sympathy for the Nuzleaf. All those Pokemon- they attacked at the last words. "Onyx! They're enraged! There is no possible way that we knew what we were doing, but we did it! We need to get out of here!" Amethyst cried over the roar of Pokemon. "You don't need to remind me!" Onyx called back. Reluctant to harm any of the grief-stricken Pokemon, Onyx and Amethyst rotated around one another in a circular pattern- a specific pattern taught to them by Team Dome. One that supposedly grants a lower rate of being attacked by special moves. Amethyst could see the logic behind it. By circling and weaving through and by one another, her and Onyx moved in random enough movements to escape the wrath of Special moves. However, it was only a matter of time before the Razor Leaves and Gusts start hitting their marks- it's a tricky pattern, but it's a pattern all the same.
"Amethyst, how long do you think we can hold out before they figure out the pattern and start attacking? What then? I don't know about you, but I refuse to attack these Pokemon-they're only grieving. They've done nothing wrong..."
"Onyx. I understand. I don't want to attack them either."
"So you think we have to?"
"No, if we're evasive then no. But there is no possible way we can get out of this situation without doing one of two things. Attack, or be attacked."
The conversation was breathless. To both of their horror, the wild Pokemon were catching on, and some bold Pokemon began to use physical moves rather than attack from a distance. "Ok! We need to make a decision now!" Onyx cried out as a Nidorina slashed him with a toxic claw- poisoning him for sure. The Umbreon grunted in pain and used a large spurt of energy to bound over to Amethyst. "I'm sorry... But I can't fight like this Amethyst..." He apologized, dipping his head while leaning against her shoulder for support.
"No need." A voice behind the duo shocks them both, and they both swirl around and tense for an upcoming attack from the speaker, but none comes. An Alakazam floats slightly off the ground, a thoughtful expression on his face. "You two found yourselves here? Why may I ask? Ah, but this isn't quite the most ideal circumstances." The mysterious Psychic type noted- looking around at the stunned Pokemon around him who were stunned by the sudden entrance of such a powerful Pokemon. "You need help getting out? No problem." The Alakazam placed a hand on each of Onyx's and Amethyst's head, and with a small pop, the three Pokemon reappeared in front of Darkness Canopy's tree line. "Teleportation." Amethyst muttered in a slight state of shock- it's not like they've had enough of that for one day already. Onyx managed to let loose a small grin before he collapsed onto the ground, panting heavily due to the effects of the poison settling in. "Onyx! Are you alright? Oh, please Alakazam we need to get a Pecha Berry or, better, a healing Pokemon." Amethyst quickly began to scrounge the nearby bushes for a bright pink berry, or something to ease her parter's pain.
"Ah Mrs. Amethyst. Or...should I call you Amy?" The Espeon froze at the mention of the name. It felt so familiar, yet so distant. "Alakazam... I don't know anyone named Amy here. It's just me....just Amethyst..." She stuttered. The name must have been connected to her past as a human, but it just didn't roll off the tongue nicely. It felt foreign in this place to her. "Ah but Amy- er- Amethyst this is the perfect time to discuss these matters. While your partner..." The Alakazam stopped short and widened his eyes at the murderous stare Amethyst had pasted onto her face. "No. Find help for Onyx. Now." She waited a moment, and when no one moved the Espeon bristled up. "I said now Alakazam, not five years from now!" She spat. Her past. This Pokemon knows of her unusual history, he even knows an important name that connects to her life as a human. But using her partner's fatal injury as an excuse to talk so he won't remember it isn't right. When Amethyst turned from her bush to look for another, she noticed that Alakazam was gone- hopefully to find the help they desperately needed.
No more than five minutes passed before Alakazam reappeared with an Audino by his side, but time seemed to enjoy making Team Sunstorm's pain excruciatingly long. The Audino, who introduced herself as Helda, healed Onyx from his poisoning and restored part of his health for good measure. Amethyst decided to strike up conversation and learned that Helda was a school nurse at a school for young explorers who wish to navigate Mystery Dungeons when they come of age. Alakazam refused to state a name and only responds to his species name. He states that his personal name is one to only share with his two other teammates- plus he said that his team couldn't be called Team A.C.T if they all went by their real names. After learning more about the legend of Rayquaza- curtesy of Alakazam- the subject of Darkness Canopy popped up.
"So you two think some Pokemon pranked you? Pulling you into the woods and leaving you for the Monster House?" Helda asked, double checking that she had the information correct. Onyx nodded while Amethyst continued to tell the story. "We learned that a Nuzleaf's foster son was killed by mysterious Pokemon last night, and that's why he was enraged. Then Alakazam popped up and saved us from too much pain." The Espeon gave a curt nod of thanks- she still wasn't ready to forgive him for his attempts of talking while Onyx was in pain. "Aww poor dear... What was the son's name?" Helda asked quietly. "Kip. Kip the Grovyle." Onyx answered, dipping his head in sorrow. The Audino's hands flew to her mouth as she stared at them in complete silence. "K-k-kip? My little....the student... What about Autumn? What of her?" Helda started to sob, stuttering over the name of her once beloved students. Amethyst smiled in pity. The Espeon knew that if Kip were to meet her, this event would be more tragic for her personally, but every Pokemon she's talked to so far seemed to know this Pokemon Kip and she felt kind of left out of the loop. "Autumn... I haven't heard her name. Twigs did say something about Kip having a Partner who disappeared one day however. I'm truly sorry for your loss." Amethyst whispered, padding over and placing a gentle tail on the crying Audino's shoulder.
Later that evening Onyx and Amethyst were both lying on the ground, multitudes of maps strewn about in front of them. "So, anyplace important to Mei. We barely know anything about the Guild Master, how in the world are we supposed to find a flag? It's obvious with teams like Scout's that they'll have an advantage because they've known her longer." Onyx mumbled, his head bobbing with sleep. Amethyst giggled and prodded his shoulder with her paw. "Come on... Just until Moonhigh. Then we can sleep. It's not too much longer." "Too....late..." Onyx grumbled and he fell asleep on the spot. With a soft sigh Amethyst gently lifted him into the air via Psychic and crawled through the hatch to his room, then placed him in his nest before stepping outside. Team Sunstorm's room was lit dimly from a replica of the sun over on Amethyst's side, and a little bit more from a replica of the moon from Onyx's side. The Espeon padded silently over the stained wood and to the stairs- she had someone to talk to.
"Mei. I'm concerned about the astonishing amounts of Pokemon... Homicide." Amethyst asked, her jeweled gaze hard and serious. The Lopunny stopped sorting the many treasures in her office and looked over her shoulder at Amethyst. Mei dropped her gaze after a moment and looked up to grab a small book from her bookshelf. After grabbing the book, the Lopunny placed it on her desk and say behind it, clearly thinking out the appropriate response for such a statement. "Espeon... Quite the intriguing Pokemon if you ask me. Being able to tell the future by reading simple things such as Air Waves... Almost always intelligent and logical to boot." Mei noted, her magenta eyes revealing nothing but a secret desire- one that Amethyst couldn't decipher. The Lopunny continued, her face remaining neutral. "Amethyst dear, homicide isn't new and will never be old unfortunately. No matter how hard we try, it'll happen. There is a distinct difference between pure Pokemon and evil ones- and the killing of others is one of those differences. I know you may be concerned, but calm your mind- and why don't you take a look here? Some answers may be in clearer sight than what you think. Now go- Onyx has been sleeping and you can't be falling behind on your rescue jobs just because you can't sleep." Mei handed Amethyst the book she placed on her desk. The Espeon nodded and telepathically received the book and wound her way up the stairs to her room.
"Yo! Amethyst! Wake up- we'll be late for announcements! Hello?" Amethyst swatted the air with her tail angrily as a voice begged her to wake up. No dreams last night- to the Espeon's dismay. How hard is it to explore a place in a dream? Amethyst opened her sticky eyes and blinked away the sleep. She had made it to her nest to sleep last night, but she couldn't fall asleep with an ancient book right next to her. Naturally she stayed up reading it until the sun barely peeked through the window of her room. After a few groggy moments and realizing that Onyx was the one waking her up, she shot in from her nest and waved the book in front of her partner. "Look! Onyx, Mei gave me a book that will most likely lead to a flag!" She cried happily and Onyx, forgetting about announcements, eagerly snatched it from Amethyst's psychic grasp and dropped it to the ground in order to investigate. Suddenly a bright blue triangle poking out from one of the pages caught Amethyst's attention. She tugged at it, pulling the blue triangle from its's page and opening the book to a picture of a hand-drawn picture of a large Pokemon with a Gardevoir, Lopunny, and Medicham looking ready for battle. A caption beneath it read, 'Team Charm, 20XX, Fighting Reggigigas in Ageis Cave.'. But neither Onyx nor Amethyst noticed the drawing.
Because in Amethyst's mouth was a pennant- a blue pennant with a waterfall emblem on it.
Team Sunstorm was going on the Guild Expedition.
Amethyst rushed though the forest with a sense of urgency pulsing through her. The place was right up ahead, and Amethyst swore she knew what was ahead but at the same time couldn't remember what was up there. By rushed, Amethyst's was actually flying not running. Her body seemed out of proportion and not as balanced as usual, but she payed no mind to those feeble facts. Finally a soft blue light temporarily blinded her as she entered the clearing. Whatever was ahead felt important-no- more than just important. Amethyst's very being felt as if it depended on this. Suddenly she felt a very familiar feeling...a tugging sensation that was sucking her out of that lovely light...
"Amethyst! Amethyst wake up!" Onyx's usual bright and upbeat tone was soft and interfered by his grit teeth and the low growl rising in his throat. Hearing his tone and practically feeling the waves of anticipation and protectiveness rolling off his fur, the Espeon slowly opened her bright purple eyes and rolled over to where she was crouching. Team Sunstorm had scavenged the Darkness Canopy until moonhigh and the two exploring Pokemon collapsed on a wide open clearing with many leaves to rest their weary minds and bodies. Amethyst blinked the sleep away from her eyes and trained her eyes on what absorbed Onyx's attention. Even with a rested mind and clear eyes, the Espeon thought that she was still dreaming. Dozens upon dozens of Pokemon slunk out from the bushes, their eyes wide with rage and anger. "Hey, hey! We didn't do anything!" Onyx cried out. Amethyst could tell that he was trying to sound intimidated in order to maybe gain them a small chance at escape, but the statement sounded more as a threat.
She glared at the Umbreon for a brief moment before quickly scanning the crowd of 34- yes she counted- Pokemon that surrounded them in a crescent moon shape. The only side of their circle that no Pokemon surrounded them on manifested in large, steep rocks that formed the edge of the Mystery Dungeon. Many Pokemon in the crowd under normal circumstances wouldn't have been considered dangerous on their own in mystery dungeons, like Sentret, Oddish, Poochyena, Murkcrow and Bellsprout. However there were a few Pokemon who could definitely cause Sunstorm to leave with scars such as Pidgeotto, Nidorina and Nidorino, and Nuzleaf. Suddenly the most logical though Amethyst has had since she woke up popped into her head, bewildering her. 'Wait somethings off. We.... Onyx and I.... are new to this exploration team idea, but we're not dull enough to blindly fall asleep in a Mystery Dungeon.' She knew that they traveled far by the time the moon was in the center of the sky, and she also acknowledged that they were tired, but still. Amethyst wondered if they were really so careless as to fall asleep in a dangerous place.
Out of habit, Amethyst slowly escalated so she straightened her legs to stand from her crouching position and reached for the white Explorers bag that was alway slung around her shoulder to grab a Petrify Orb- a welcome gift from Scout. To her dismay, and as evidence to her previous thought, the white bag was absent from her shoulder; it's usual comforting weight now just a ghost of what it once was. "Onyx" she hissed. "We didn't fall asleep in this dungeon, did we?" The Umbreon looked partly surprised and gazed around as if he just took in his surroundings. "No, I don't think we did Amethyst. I thought we made sure to exit the dungeon before finding that clearing. Also, where in the world is the explorer's bag? I trusted you with it!" Onyx's expression changed from uncertain to angry so quickly Amethyst had a hard time believing that he even looked uncertain in the first place.
"I didn't loose it- cool your head."
"Then where is it?"
"I don't know."
"You just said you did!"
"No, I said I didn't loose it. Not that I knew where it was."
"Please explain to me how you can avoid losing something but not know where it is."
The two Pokemon bickered for a moment- tensions running fever high. Amethyst sighed in defeat. "Listen Onyx. I didn't loose it. That doesn't mean that someone else didn't either." She winced at her wording, but at the present time, she didn't feel like giving straightforward answers. Why was beyond her problems at the moment. Onyx's face shifted from confused to a slight look of doubt. "But it's our bag. Someone other than you and I can't loose it. Don't tell me you're accusing me of loosing it!" The Umbreon began to become angry again before a thought dawned on him. "Unless you mean that someone else who isn't part of Sunstorm..." "Stole it. Yes, I think some prankster Pokemon decided it would be fun to rob us and drop us in a Mystery Dungeon just to get a kick out of it." Amethyst finished. The Umbreon dug his paws into the grass and flexed his tiny claws. "I'm too upset to even mention that you said 'get a kick out of it.' Is that one of your "hoo-mee-n" terms?" He said with the ghost of a smile dancing on his face.
Slowly the two friends backed up to the point where they were shoulder to shoulder and staring out at the crowd they'll have to face in less than just a few moments. I know that you don't have your bag, but that doesn't mean you can't be our Organizer. All you need to focus on is making sure I don't get killed and making sure you don't get hurt. Onyx instructed to Amethyst. The Espeon scoffed at the remark and grinned at Onyx- her eyes gleaming. Are you joking? I'll back you up no matter what. I'll be a front battler, but I can only manage some of the weaker Pokemon. I've been training with Cobalt for a long while now. I think I can manage a horde of Sentret. Amethyst declared through telepathy. Onyx's brave face fell to reveal what concerns he had. But he didn't say anything by mouth or by mind, so Amethyst believed that he agreed with her- even if it took a bit of self-convincing on his part. With a satisfied nod from Amethyst, the duo gazed out on the horde once more. A large Nuzleaf stepped out of the crowd who spread to make a path for the grass type. "Intruders! You have trampled on our grass and destroyed our leaves! You took the life of my foster son! Where are your friends pests?!" The Nuzleaf roared furiously.
"Friends?" Onyx asked quietly to Amethyst. The Espeon furrowed her brow in confusion. "But Nuzleaf..." Amethyst started, but the Nuzleaf interrupted. "Twigs. The names' Twigs." "Ok Twigs. Well, we don't have any other members of our team." Amethyst protested with the small twitch of her ears being the only sign of her irritation. "Here... You can even check our team roster." The Espeon reached for her bag, but the Team Badge was strapped to the bag- and that's the only way to prove that there are no other members of Team Sunstorm. Twigs narrowed his eyes in disbelief causing Amethyst to panic. "Uhh.... Wait!" The Espeon grew excited in anticipation. "Who were our friends? What did they look like?" The Nuzleaf seemed to grow confused at the question, but then shook his head as if deciding something from an internal debate with himself. Twigs crossed his arms and looked through the leafy canopy above them with a thoughtful expression.
"Well... I personally only saw shadows. However... There were four figures. One was suspended in the air- so I suppose that they were a ghost or psychic type, considering that it's shadow didn't have wings." Twigs described. "The other three were two legged Pokemon, but they looked like they were arguing. I couldn't hear due to the distance I spaced myself from them, but I'll tell ya. It was quite the heated argument." Amethyst and Onyx cocked their heads to the side and started to think as to who would be like that. Onyx became frustrated before Amethyst, but he only let it show by narrowing his eyes and a slight twitch of his tail and paws. Twigs grew angry as he described the events after that. "You two..." He points an accusing finger at the Espeon and Umbreon duo. "We're there as well- I could see you. Both of you were curled up, but floating midair. I could see it because the moon was shining right on you. Maybe you were under the effects of Psychic or something, I dunno. But still! One Pokemon pointed at my foster son's nest and whispered something to one of the Pokemon next to them. That Pokemon leaped towards the nest and they....they..." The Nuzleaf no longer had an angry look plastered on hid face. His eyes were large with tears and his face was scrunched up. "They killed my foster son."
The crowd of Pokemon behind Twigs shook their heads in sorrow and some broke into tears. Others roared in outrage. Amethyst went into a state of shock. Who would kill another of their own kind? The Espeon drew a shaky breath as faint memories filled her mind. Just like the humans... Killing one another just for the sake of it... Playing games that injure one another. Amethyst, though she did so unconsciously, believed that the Pokemon were more kind to one another- forbade killing one another due to the pureness in their hearts. "Who... Who was your foster son?" Onyx asked quietly, his eyes haunted by events that certainty don't deserve to be relived. Amethyst's consciousness screamed to ask Onyx questions, but now was not the time. Twigs snuffled his sobs. "A Grovyle. Kip, my tiny...Kip. His original foster father moved away without warning one day- the same day my dearest friend disappeared. Kip used to travel the land with my friend...but that was so long ago..." Twigs continued to sob, but he made no motion to cover his face. Now rage was scribbled once more on the Nuzleaf.
"And you! Both of you. You stayed with the monster to took the life of my foster son. One of the three two legged Pokemon tried to save Kip, but they failed. They ran off after failing, crying over the loss. You stayed with the monster, making you both our enemies!" Twigs cried, but now was not the time to manifest in sympathy for the Nuzleaf. All those Pokemon- they attacked at the last words. "Onyx! They're enraged! There is no possible way that we knew what we were doing, but we did it! We need to get out of here!" Amethyst cried over the roar of Pokemon. "You don't need to remind me!" Onyx called back. Reluctant to harm any of the grief-stricken Pokemon, Onyx and Amethyst rotated around one another in a circular pattern- a specific pattern taught to them by Team Dome. One that supposedly grants a lower rate of being attacked by special moves. Amethyst could see the logic behind it. By circling and weaving through and by one another, her and Onyx moved in random enough movements to escape the wrath of Special moves. However, it was only a matter of time before the Razor Leaves and Gusts start hitting their marks- it's a tricky pattern, but it's a pattern all the same.
"Amethyst, how long do you think we can hold out before they figure out the pattern and start attacking? What then? I don't know about you, but I refuse to attack these Pokemon-they're only grieving. They've done nothing wrong..."
"Onyx. I understand. I don't want to attack them either."
"So you think we have to?"
"No, if we're evasive then no. But there is no possible way we can get out of this situation without doing one of two things. Attack, or be attacked."
The conversation was breathless. To both of their horror, the wild Pokemon were catching on, and some bold Pokemon began to use physical moves rather than attack from a distance. "Ok! We need to make a decision now!" Onyx cried out as a Nidorina slashed him with a toxic claw- poisoning him for sure. The Umbreon grunted in pain and used a large spurt of energy to bound over to Amethyst. "I'm sorry... But I can't fight like this Amethyst..." He apologized, dipping his head while leaning against her shoulder for support.
"No need." A voice behind the duo shocks them both, and they both swirl around and tense for an upcoming attack from the speaker, but none comes. An Alakazam floats slightly off the ground, a thoughtful expression on his face. "You two found yourselves here? Why may I ask? Ah, but this isn't quite the most ideal circumstances." The mysterious Psychic type noted- looking around at the stunned Pokemon around him who were stunned by the sudden entrance of such a powerful Pokemon. "You need help getting out? No problem." The Alakazam placed a hand on each of Onyx's and Amethyst's head, and with a small pop, the three Pokemon reappeared in front of Darkness Canopy's tree line. "Teleportation." Amethyst muttered in a slight state of shock- it's not like they've had enough of that for one day already. Onyx managed to let loose a small grin before he collapsed onto the ground, panting heavily due to the effects of the poison settling in. "Onyx! Are you alright? Oh, please Alakazam we need to get a Pecha Berry or, better, a healing Pokemon." Amethyst quickly began to scrounge the nearby bushes for a bright pink berry, or something to ease her parter's pain.
"Ah Mrs. Amethyst. Or...should I call you Amy?" The Espeon froze at the mention of the name. It felt so familiar, yet so distant. "Alakazam... I don't know anyone named Amy here. It's just me....just Amethyst..." She stuttered. The name must have been connected to her past as a human, but it just didn't roll off the tongue nicely. It felt foreign in this place to her. "Ah but Amy- er- Amethyst this is the perfect time to discuss these matters. While your partner..." The Alakazam stopped short and widened his eyes at the murderous stare Amethyst had pasted onto her face. "No. Find help for Onyx. Now." She waited a moment, and when no one moved the Espeon bristled up. "I said now Alakazam, not five years from now!" She spat. Her past. This Pokemon knows of her unusual history, he even knows an important name that connects to her life as a human. But using her partner's fatal injury as an excuse to talk so he won't remember it isn't right. When Amethyst turned from her bush to look for another, she noticed that Alakazam was gone- hopefully to find the help they desperately needed.
No more than five minutes passed before Alakazam reappeared with an Audino by his side, but time seemed to enjoy making Team Sunstorm's pain excruciatingly long. The Audino, who introduced herself as Helda, healed Onyx from his poisoning and restored part of his health for good measure. Amethyst decided to strike up conversation and learned that Helda was a school nurse at a school for young explorers who wish to navigate Mystery Dungeons when they come of age. Alakazam refused to state a name and only responds to his species name. He states that his personal name is one to only share with his two other teammates- plus he said that his team couldn't be called Team A.C.T if they all went by their real names. After learning more about the legend of Rayquaza- curtesy of Alakazam- the subject of Darkness Canopy popped up.
"So you two think some Pokemon pranked you? Pulling you into the woods and leaving you for the Monster House?" Helda asked, double checking that she had the information correct. Onyx nodded while Amethyst continued to tell the story. "We learned that a Nuzleaf's foster son was killed by mysterious Pokemon last night, and that's why he was enraged. Then Alakazam popped up and saved us from too much pain." The Espeon gave a curt nod of thanks- she still wasn't ready to forgive him for his attempts of talking while Onyx was in pain. "Aww poor dear... What was the son's name?" Helda asked quietly. "Kip. Kip the Grovyle." Onyx answered, dipping his head in sorrow. The Audino's hands flew to her mouth as she stared at them in complete silence. "K-k-kip? My little....the student... What about Autumn? What of her?" Helda started to sob, stuttering over the name of her once beloved students. Amethyst smiled in pity. The Espeon knew that if Kip were to meet her, this event would be more tragic for her personally, but every Pokemon she's talked to so far seemed to know this Pokemon Kip and she felt kind of left out of the loop. "Autumn... I haven't heard her name. Twigs did say something about Kip having a Partner who disappeared one day however. I'm truly sorry for your loss." Amethyst whispered, padding over and placing a gentle tail on the crying Audino's shoulder.
Later that evening Onyx and Amethyst were both lying on the ground, multitudes of maps strewn about in front of them. "So, anyplace important to Mei. We barely know anything about the Guild Master, how in the world are we supposed to find a flag? It's obvious with teams like Scout's that they'll have an advantage because they've known her longer." Onyx mumbled, his head bobbing with sleep. Amethyst giggled and prodded his shoulder with her paw. "Come on... Just until Moonhigh. Then we can sleep. It's not too much longer." "Too....late..." Onyx grumbled and he fell asleep on the spot. With a soft sigh Amethyst gently lifted him into the air via Psychic and crawled through the hatch to his room, then placed him in his nest before stepping outside. Team Sunstorm's room was lit dimly from a replica of the sun over on Amethyst's side, and a little bit more from a replica of the moon from Onyx's side. The Espeon padded silently over the stained wood and to the stairs- she had someone to talk to.
"Mei. I'm concerned about the astonishing amounts of Pokemon... Homicide." Amethyst asked, her jeweled gaze hard and serious. The Lopunny stopped sorting the many treasures in her office and looked over her shoulder at Amethyst. Mei dropped her gaze after a moment and looked up to grab a small book from her bookshelf. After grabbing the book, the Lopunny placed it on her desk and say behind it, clearly thinking out the appropriate response for such a statement. "Espeon... Quite the intriguing Pokemon if you ask me. Being able to tell the future by reading simple things such as Air Waves... Almost always intelligent and logical to boot." Mei noted, her magenta eyes revealing nothing but a secret desire- one that Amethyst couldn't decipher. The Lopunny continued, her face remaining neutral. "Amethyst dear, homicide isn't new and will never be old unfortunately. No matter how hard we try, it'll happen. There is a distinct difference between pure Pokemon and evil ones- and the killing of others is one of those differences. I know you may be concerned, but calm your mind- and why don't you take a look here? Some answers may be in clearer sight than what you think. Now go- Onyx has been sleeping and you can't be falling behind on your rescue jobs just because you can't sleep." Mei handed Amethyst the book she placed on her desk. The Espeon nodded and telepathically received the book and wound her way up the stairs to her room.
"Yo! Amethyst! Wake up- we'll be late for announcements! Hello?" Amethyst swatted the air with her tail angrily as a voice begged her to wake up. No dreams last night- to the Espeon's dismay. How hard is it to explore a place in a dream? Amethyst opened her sticky eyes and blinked away the sleep. She had made it to her nest to sleep last night, but she couldn't fall asleep with an ancient book right next to her. Naturally she stayed up reading it until the sun barely peeked through the window of her room. After a few groggy moments and realizing that Onyx was the one waking her up, she shot in from her nest and waved the book in front of her partner. "Look! Onyx, Mei gave me a book that will most likely lead to a flag!" She cried happily and Onyx, forgetting about announcements, eagerly snatched it from Amethyst's psychic grasp and dropped it to the ground in order to investigate. Suddenly a bright blue triangle poking out from one of the pages caught Amethyst's attention. She tugged at it, pulling the blue triangle from its's page and opening the book to a picture of a hand-drawn picture of a large Pokemon with a Gardevoir, Lopunny, and Medicham looking ready for battle. A caption beneath it read, 'Team Charm, 20XX, Fighting Reggigigas in Ageis Cave.'. But neither Onyx nor Amethyst noticed the drawing.
Because in Amethyst's mouth was a pennant- a blue pennant with a waterfall emblem on it.
Team Sunstorm was going on the Guild Expedition.
