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Chapter Text

Silvally grit his teeth and launched himself to the side, desperately trying to avoid the attack. Hundreds of razor-sharp ice shards whistled by, tearing through the air, intent on slicing him to ribbons. Other than a slight nick on his tail, he escaped unscathed. The same couldn’t be said about the trees behind him though—half frozen, chunks taken out of the bark, and at the edge of snapping in half.  

Snow started to flutter to the ground, all because of the temperature change from the ice attack. His mismatched claws sank into the ground, tearing up the grass as he slid to a stop. There was no hesitation in the follow-up attack, and Silvally threw himself to the ground, eyes wide, as pure heat shot toward him. A powerful spiralling lance of fire screamed overhead, bathing him in a searing heat. The air started to shimmer from the intensity of the attack, giving him just a taste of what could have happened if he hadn’t ducked. 

Several thunderous crashes sounded out behind him, multiple trees toppling from the hole punched straight through them. Fire licked at the edges of the holes, and the fire dispersed against the trees further back. Flames crawled up along the trees that hadn’t toppled, licking at the bark hungrily, setting the forest behind them ablaze. 

Silvally ignored the aches and pains of his mismatched body, and forced himself upright once again. He narrowed his eyes and stared at his opponent, heart thrumming as he faced her down. Limping movements carried him around, and the two circled one another. 

“What’s the matter, getting tired already?” The Ninetales taunted. A wisp of flame slipped from between her jaws and rolled up into the air, vanishing a moment later. She was panting from the effort of the battle, but she continued. Each of her steps set the grass alight and left a sizzling pawprint on the ground; grass withered beneath her due to the heat radiating off the fox.  

Suddenly, those pawprints swapped from burning hot to freezing cold, leaving frosty impressions on the ground. Silvally narrowed his eyes at the shift, and tensed, already aware of what she’d likely try next. He prepared his counter, feeling that energy thrumming through his body. Flying-type, he recalled one Pokémon saying, and it certainly felt accurate—he felt lighter than before. 

Mist formed around the Ninetales, water vapour in the air condensing and freezing as she built up her attack. Hundreds of small, sharp snowflakes formed and began to swirl around her, wreathed around her body like a cloak. 

The fox lunged forward without warning, her teeth glowing an icy-blue energy. The sharp snow cloak followed her close, rippling through the air as she attacked. 

Silvally launched himself to the side and pulled on that energy within himself. His talons and paws were light on the ground, and he whipped around the fox with unnatural acceleration. Faster than one could possibly turn, he curled around and aimed to strike her from behind. 

She had been expecting that, though. Just before he could slam into the Ninetales, the cloak of snow lurched toward him, cold winds and sharp ice careening toward him. 

He aborted his attack and sank a front talon into the ground; the momentum from his failed move rotated his body around, far too fast for his liking, and wrenched his talon from the ground. He managed to avoid the ice attack, but his speed caused him to trip and sent him into a tumble across the clearing, his body rolling across the ground. The sprawl ended shortly against the base of a tree, leaving him on his side, groaning in pain. Discomfort and pain washed through him, both from his natural form, and from the fight. 

“Pfft! What was that? You’re losing your touch,” the Ninetales laughed. She stalked over toward the downed Pokémon with a feral grin, frosty breath escaping from her jaws. 

Artemis, Blizzard of the West, Sun of the South, (and a variety of other titles and accolades) loomed over him. Her red eyes blazed with a fury reserved for the worst of the worst. Numerous outlaws had fallen before her, the last sight before passing out being those haunting red eyes. Or so the others had said. 

“I almost feel sorry for you, poor thing, all exhausted. Too many exploration teams after you?” The hybrid fox chuckled. She reared back, frost coating her jaws, readying an ice attack to finally bring down the wanted outlaw.

Silvally had to time this just right. He struggled and made an act to stand, only to fall again. Though he shut his eyes in actual pain, he was not at all helpless. He waited, readying himself, prepared for the attack. 

Artemis lunged forward, fangs glittering in the light of Apple Woods, fully intending to knock out this threat to society and end his streak of escapes.

Silvally had other plans.

The shriek of metal on metal that erupted from his jaws rattled through the forest.  Metal Sound drilled itself into Artemis’s ears and sent her reeling back in pain. She pulled away with her ears flattened against her head. That wasn’t enough, and she moved her paws up to cover them as well, struggling to muffle the agonizing sound. 

With a quick push, Silvally leaped forward.  Electricity sparked across his teeth and lower jaw, pulling on that ever-shifting energy within himself. A devastating Thunder Fang sank into the Ninetales, his jaws clamping down around her shoulder and foreleg. Artemis shrieked in pain as electricity flowed through her, muscles bunching and body locking up.

Silvally growled and wrenched his head to the side. The fox was ripped off her feet and sent hurtling toward a tree. He grimaced at the devastating smack and the sight of her body wrapping around the wood, but shook off his concern. She always got back up; she’d be fine. 

Swift steps carried Silvally toward the convulsing fox. Her tails flared out and she tried to roll to her paws once again, already trying to get back into the fight. Silvally was having none of that. He shivered; his crest glowed a bright, dangerous yellow, and sparks danced along his fur. He raised an electricity-coated claw and brought it down hard on her head. The impact sent her down hard enough that her skull bounced off the ground with a sickening thump.

Silvally loomed over the downed Ninetales. His limbs quivered from the effort of the fight, and exhaustion, but he still stood. Artemis lay at the base of the tree, body twitching, and eyes rolled back. He needed to leave now. She’d be up again in mere moments, and he wasn’t willing to cause more permanent injury to get her to leave him alone. He wasn’t a monster, no matter what they thought of him. 

Without a parting word to his pursuer, Silvally welled his energy inside himself, using Agility to enhance his movement speed repeatedly. His form blurred around the edges, and a faint shimmer of purple wrapped around his legs. He shot forward and zipped out of sight at an absurd velocity. He vanished into Apple Woods, out of reach of the Ninetales.

For now. 

~{O}~{O}~{O}~

Silvally staggered forward into the little side corridor in Apple Woods. A talon reached out and pushed aside some bushes, revealing a little alcove. He had made this shelter himself in an attempt to hide from the exploration teams that had been hounding him. Talons wrapped around the strap of the Treasure Bag he had ‘liberated’ from a rather annoying exploration team, and in a practiced move, swung it over his head and secured it at his front. 

He didn’t normally take from the Pokémon pursuing him, but these ones had been particularly annoying. They ran into him multiple times and continued to throw seeds and rocks at him. So he just… took away their method of holding rocks and seeds after knocking them out. That he decided to keep it to carry food, berries, seeds, and his helmet was just a happy coincidence. And he even left them an Escape Orb and some food! 

Now that the bag was easily accessible, he peered into it, ensuring that the most important item was still there. He looked into the depths of the seemingly impossible container and spotted his helmet. That cursed thing. He hated it; he needed it. It was all that he had left that might lead him to the answers he so desperately sought. 

With the Treasure Bag secured, he took one last longing glance at the little hideout he had called home, then set off again. This Mystery Dungeon was no longer safe for him to hide in. The ‘explorers’ knew where he was, and they wouldn’t stop coming after him. He had hoped that driving them away and vanishing would make them think he had left, but they continued to hunt him here. 

His paws and talons carried him as quickly as he dared to go, trying to get away while still conserving energy. He hadn’t been able to sleep for days. Being pursued, chased, and hunted by those exploration teams had been a constant annoyance, and though he managed to push these ones back, they’d always return soon after. 

This newest group was particularly difficult and cunning. The Bibarel was a constant annoyance, waddling after him relentlessly. It wasn’t difficult to outpace the Pokémon until it achieved a line of sight on him. Then, the Rollout attack would occur, and the Pokémon always went for his legs. Every hit made walking even more painful than it needed to be, and gradually slowed his progress. He supposed that was the point though. 

The Exploud and the Dugtrio were just as awful.  The purple Pokémon deafened Silvally and disrupted his orientation with explosions of noise. Then the Dugtrio would attack from the ground; take out his legs and knock him down. Then Exploud would jump in for an attack and hammer at Silvally with his fists or scream in his ears. 

They called themselves explorers, but they were criminals. Serial assaulters. Harassers and liars and thieves. They attacked him first, then sent more to fight back harder when he defended himself!

Silvally emerged into a clearing, the light from above blinding him for a moment. There was a draft in the room and an odd feeling in the air that set his fur on end. He looked forward and spotted what he had been searching for: that little tear in reality that would lead to the next section of the dungeon. 

Unfortunately, between himself and the shimmering hole in space-time was a massive insect. A Beedrill. The creature hovered in front of him menacingly, its stingers oozing venom, and its baleful red eyes locked onto him. 

Silvally didn’t want to fight it. Despite being exhausted and not in the mood for another confrontation, he just would rather not attack these Pokémon defending their homes. Instead, he kept his gaze locked on it, and side-stepped around it. The two Pokémon glared at one another, neither backing down, even as Silvally crept his way around toward the exit. 

The Beedrill lunged!

Silvally shifted himself to one side, allowing the stinger to just brush by him, disturbing his fur with how close it came. He raised a talon and slammed it into the insect’s abdomen. The insect screeched in pain, struggling to stab at him. Silvally was having none of that and tightened his talons on the insect, and slammed it into the ground. 

Without a moment’s rest, Silvally lunged forward, his jaws wreathed in flame. He clamped down on the wild Pokémon, and the devastating Fire Fang tore through its defences. The Beedrill screeched in agony and flailed, clawing at the ground to escape the horrific attack that charred its carapace. 

With the Beedrill trying to escape, Silvally released his grip on the Pokémon and hopped backward. One of his talons buckled under him and he staggered, shifting his weight to the other leg to keep himself upright. His exhaustion was catching up to him. There was no time to take a break though, he needed to get far away from this place. 

The Beedrill buzzed and flitted around the clearing to escape, before it finally managed to duck into one of the many paths in the maze-like forest. Now that he was alone again, Silvally turned to the shimmering tear in reality and stepped through it. 

The forest around him seemed to shift and move, warping and spinning as the rules of reality seemed to fail in these dungeons. As much as it all changed, everything was still the same forest. It was all still Apple Woods, just with different paths and clearings. 

He kept up his lope through the woods, occasionally diverting to the side to snag an apple, Oran Berry, or some kind of seed. Unfortunately, there was nothing fancy in a place like this, but he didn’t mind that. He could stock up on supplies and food before changing locations once again, that much he was grateful for. If he had to go through another dungeon without any food for three days, he was going to snap. 

The only thing that would make this situation better would be if the Expedition Society members would quit harassing him! They intentionally sought him out and attacked him, for absolutely no reason. Then, when he sent them home with their tails between their legs, they’d come back with stronger members the next time. It was absurd, in all honesty. 

These newest ones were rather relentless, and the fox in particular was rather violent and determined. Even on nights when he was alone, he had trouble sleeping. Nightmares of those blazing red eyes watching him from the darkness before bathing him with fire or freezing him solid kept him awake. 

Silvally caught a paw on an exposed tree root and tumbled, barely catching himself. He shut his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to fend off the exhaustion, and focus himself once again. He could sleep when he reached a new dungeon… He hoped. 

It didn’t take long for him to find the shimmering tear in reality once again. He glanced around the clearing to ensure he wouldn’t be attacked, then continued forward. Stopped at the edge of the rift, he glanced behind himself at the forest he had called home for less than two weeks. 

It had been nice while it lasted, at least. 

A single step carried him through the rift in space-time, and he found himself back in normal Apple Woods again. The area no longer gave out an otherworldly feeling, and he could focus on trees in the distance instead of having them shift and move in the corner of his eye. The world seemed brighter than before—less oppressive and more like he was out for a stroll in the woods than he was navigating a maze. 

A quick look up at the sky revealed the sun slowly working its way down toward the horizon. He decided to head north away from the more populated areas. The further he went, the less likely he would be to encounter those ‘civilized’ Pokémon that continued to hunt him. 

Silvally wasn’t really sure where he was headed, he just knew he needed to get away. The chimera clenched his jaw and limped forward, his body aching and limbs shaking from the effort, exhaustion trying to drag him down. He continued forward anyway, one foot in front of the other, and gradually worked his way through the forest.  

The trees started to thin out, much to his disappointment. He knew it was necessary, but leaving the semi-enclosed area left him feeling open to attack. Still, he carried onward. He had a vague idea of where he wanted to go, but more importantly, he just knew he needed to get away. He continued his trek north. One foot in front of the other. That’s all he needed to focus on. Just keep walking. 

…

Hours slipped by, and at some point, he had angled himself toward the mountains in the distance. He could go around the base of the mountain if he needed to, but it would take too much valuable time. Why waste time when he could go in a straight line toward his destination instead? Plus, he had a vague semblance of a plan to hopefully lead his pursuers astray. 

The base of the mountain came upon him soon enough. Silvally stumbled to a stop, and yawned, craning his head back to look up at the tall structure before him. The mountain was impressive. It was tall, relatively isolated, and unfortunately, in his way. His eyes flicked to the little outcroppings of stone across the mountain and narrowed his eyes. 

A talon plunged into the Treasure Bag and fished around, finally managing to clamp down on something. Silvally pulled the Chesto Berry from his bag, and grimaced, before popping the entire thing in his mouth. He hated the things, but he ‘borrowed’ it from an exploration team for a reason. 

Exhaustion seemed to melt away, and he became far more alert and energized. He took another moment to eat, scarfing down an Oran Berry to heal up his scrapes and restore his energy somewhat, and then an apple to quiet the gnawing sensation in his belly. 

Narrowed eyes looked upon the mountain, and he shook out his limbs, warming himself up for the ascent. He had to make it to the peak of the mountain today. Then, he could finally sleep. If he stopped now, he had no doubt someone would catch up to him. 

Silvally welled up the energy inside himself, feeling light once more. Flyting-type energy coursed through him and made his crest and tail change colours once more. He crouched, muscles tense, and leaped upward. His talons sank into the rock and his paws pounded the stone, allowing him to reposition himself on each outcropping. 

He gradually sped up, bounding himself between clumps of rock, the side of the mountain, and whatever trees happened to be growing on the mountain. Higher and higher he climbed, hauling himself up the stone cliff face. 

It didn’t take for him to reach the top of the cliff—nearly a quarter of the time it would take someone else to walk the normal path up.  He steadied himself and glanced around the plateau. With no one else in sight, he padded forward to the entrance of the Mystery Dungeon. He sighed, stepped through the tear in reality, and vanished into thin air. 

~{O}~{O}~{O}~

“Woo! Let’s go! Team Floof is off to save the day!” A young Growlithe cheered. He raced ahead of his teammates within the Mystery Dungeon, bounding along happily. 

“H-hey! Wait up!” Another young voice cried out. Zorua darted forward after the confident fire-type, her little paws tapping along the stone beneath them. 

“Come on, Fire-butt, you know we have to stick together!” Rockruff shouted after the leader. She growled under her breath and walked faster. 

“You know they aren’t going to listen,” Eevee laughed from the side. His tail gave a playful flick, and he bounded ahead of the rock-type. 

The four young Pokémon, affectionately known as Team Floof, were currently on a rescue mission. The four had been assigned to locate a Joltik that had been exploring Mt. Bristle when the electric-type had gotten lost, much to their partner’s concern. It was a relatively low-level mission, not much more than training for beginner teams, but they were excited they were trusted to deal with it on their own. 

So now their goal was to find Joltik and bring him home! A simple enough task for the budding exploration team! 

“We’re gonna find this lil Joltik so fast! I betcha Chatot will be impressed!” Growlithe exclaimed. He rushed forward, only to slide to a halt. 

He scrambled backward with a yelp, and leaped toward his team, just avoiding a sharp beak that lunged around the corner. A Doduo strutted out around the blind corner of stone, both its heads focused on the young adventurers before them. Both beaks glowed bluish-white, and the tall bird lunged for Growlithe. 

“Look out!” Zorua cried. She darted forward, little paws dashing across the stone. She leaped, and slammed herself head-first into the Doduo’s side, sending the bird staggering to the right. Zorua hopped back, dodging a retaliatory strike, and distracted the Pokémon long enough for her team to surround it. 

With all four of them against the one Pokémon, the Doduo didn’t stand a chance. The battle was short—the bird Pokémon collapsed to the ground unconscious, sporting a litany of cuts, burns and scrapes.  The children let out an enthusiastic cheer, having beaten back another enemy on the road to fame and fortune. 

“I’m telling ya, guys! We’re gonna be super famous one day!” Growlithe said. He pranced in place while the group took a moment to recover. 

“More famous than Miss Artemis?” Eevee taunted. The prancing Growlithe stumbled over his paws and fell to the rocky surface below with a grunt. 

“What!? N-no! That would be impossible, she’s too amazing!” Growlithe rolled himself over to stare up at his teammates, sparkles in his eyes as he spoke praise of the hybrid fox. “She’s strong and fast and fearless and smart and also really strong!”

“I mean, she’s cool and all, but I dunno…” Rockruff said, sitting down and scratching behind her ear. “I think Ampharos is still cooler. The Dashing Wanderer! He’s so humble too, and he made the Expedition Society.”

“Nuh-uh! Ninetales is the coolest! She fought off Moltress in that volcano, and she was so strong that she lit up Darkshroud Forest for those Pokémon to escape that tsunami!” Growlithe argued. 

“You know… I don’t think setting the whole forest on fire counts as ‘lighting it up’,” Eevee teased. 

The group set off through Mt. Bristle again and continued their conversation. They had to stop every once in a while to flatten a wild Pokémon that decided it would be a good idea to challenge Team Floof. They truly were an unstoppable team, explorers of the highest order! They were sure to rise quickly in the ranks, and Growlithe told the team such constantly. 

“I-I mean… I think th-that Empoleon and Infernape are the coolest explorers still!” Zorua squeaked. She watched from a distance as Rockruff used the heavy rocks in her fur to bludgeon a Machop and knock it out.  

“Why those two? They’ve been gone for a while,” Rockruff huffed. She stepped away from the unconscious Pokémon and rejoined the group. 

“They’re cool because they adopted Miss Artemis!” Growlithe exclaimed from up front. He led the team deeper into Mt. Bristle, fearlessly prancing ahead. The rest of the team struggled to catch up to the fire-type’s energetic pace. 

“N-no, I mean. They saved the world! A-and their story, it’s so amazing! Memory loss, a-and friendship, and time travel, and romance! They saved the world at least twice, and probably more times since they’ve been gone!” Zorua preened. She sent glanced at Growlithe and blushed, before looking away. “M-Miss Artemis is really cool though…” 

“Nah, I betcha all that stuff is made up. Chatot and Wigglytuff just say it’s true to get more people to join the guild,” Eevee dismissed. 

Zorua deflated at hearing that. 

“Speaking of Ninetales, did you see her when she came back to Treasure Town last night?” Eevee asked. “She looked a little angry…” His tail gave a little flick as he brushed by Growlithe. 

The team descended deeper into the dungeon. Or, would it be higher? They were odd places; it was best not to ask. 

“Mhm! She went after that freaky outlaw! With other guild graduates too!” Growlithe added. He jogged forward to pass Eevee once more and cement his place in the lead. “I bet she was doing all the hard work though.”

“Fanboys…” Rockruff muttered and rolled her eyes. Eevee caught this and giggled, moving back to hang out with the rock-type once more, while Zorua darted forward to spend time near the fire-type. 

“You know, I betcha the outlaw was too strong for even Artemis to beat,” Eevee taunted.

“Oh yeah? I bet you’d faint if you saw how spooky he looked in real life! Miss Artemis is fearless! He probably used some tricks to escape,” Growlithe retorted.  

“O-or maybe she had to protect someone from the bad guy!” Zorua chimed in. She padded along beside the rambunctious fire-type, watching him closely. 

“Mhm! I bet she had to protect a blushing fanboy from the big scary outlaw,” Eevee teased Growlithe once again, and snickered when Rockruff nudged his shoulder with her head. 

“Be nice,” she whispered, before focusing her attention forward.

“Oh yeah? Well, I bet-“ Growlithe had his retaliating shot interrupted. Zorua darted forward, her little paws tapping across the stone, and moved to the front of the group. 

“H-hey! Guys, I think that’s Joltik! We found him!” Zorua announced. 

The entirety of Team Floof paused to look in the direction Zorua pointed. They cheered and raced toward the startled-looking Joltik, who quickly moved toward the approaching team. The four Pokémon surrounded the Joltik, ensuring he was alright. Once they were certain Joltik wasn’t injured, Eevee fished around for the Escape Orb they brought along. There was a flash of light, and the Pokémon vanished, sent off to the entrance of the dungeon thanks to the reality-disrupting powers of the orb. 

“We did it!” Growlithe cheered. He pranced on the spot, his tail a happy blur. Rockruff, Eevee, and Zorua cheered as well, quite pleased with themselves. Their tenth mission as guild apprentices had gone off without a problem! “Alright! Let’s keep going!” Growlithe grinned and marched forward. 

“W-wait, aren’t we gonna go back to the guild now? It’s getting k-kinda late…” Zorua trailed off. She sent a glance to Growlithe and tilted her head. “And-and we should escort J-Joltik back, right?”

“There’s only a couple more floors. It would be good training.” Rockruff reasoned, trying to sway the timid Zorua. “Besides, we’ll absolutely make it back in time for dinner. Joltik doesn’t have to wait for us if he doesn’t want to.” 

“C’mon Zorua! This means you get to spend more time with Growlithe,” Eevee teased. 

The small fox Pokémon blushed and gave a quiet “Eep!” The fire-type was completely oblivious, however, and marched toward the maze-like hallways of the dungeon. 

The rest of the team shared a glance, and after a timid nod from Zorua, they followed after Growlithe. Idle conversation flowed, interrupted by the occasional Pokémon that tried to attack them. They worked well, and the rest of the dungeon breezed by. No, not even the mightiest Mystery Dungeon could handle the combined might of Team Floof! They were truly on the path to becoming the greatest, or so Growlithe said. 

The four stepped through the rift in reality and blinked at the cool breeze that hit them. The wind brushed through their fur as they walked onto the plateau. Growlithe turned toward the rest of the team, his tail whipping back and forth in excitement. 

“We did it! We beat Mt. Bristle!” Growlithe cheered. He reared his head back and let out a little poof of flame into the air. 

“Yeah, for the third time…” Rockruff rolled her eyes at their leader’s antics. She still enjoyed every second she was with her team, however. She wouldn’t trade this for anything. The freedom, fun antics, and silly conversations were always a joy. And the exploring? Oh, it was all just lovely. 

“H-Hey, guys…” Zorua nudged Growlithe to try and get his attention, to no avail. 

“I think Chatot will let us take on some outlaws now! Won’t that be exciting?” Growlithe pranced in place. His tail was a blur from all the ideas running through his mind.  

“Before we know it, you’ll be adventuring with Ninetales and won’t have time for us boring Pokémon!” Eevee laughed and poked his tongue out. Growlithe had the good graces to blush and turned to face Eevee with a firm shake of his head. 

“Nuh-uh! I, uh, I’ll convince her to bring us all! Yeah! Then we can take on all those bad guys together!” Growlithe replied, wagging a little faster. 

“Guys, I think w-we need to go…” Zorua hit Growlithe a little harder, her small form quivering—she wasn’t being paid any mind though.  

“Come on, be realistic. None of us are going to be anywhere near her level anytime soon,” Rockruff huffed and rolled her eyes. Her teammates were up to their usual fantasizing and antics once more.  

“Nah, we’ll be strong. We’ll be the best! We’ll be taking on outlaws and rescuing people like she does in no time!” Growlithe preened, ignoring the pessimistic rock-type. “Heck, I bet that we’d be able to help her with that ugly outlaw right now!”

“Seriously, you think you could take on a Pokémon that Artemis has been struggling to capture for the last while? I think you must have rocks in your head, not Rockruff!” Eevee taunted. A well-deserved hit to the side caused him to yelp, delivered by none other than Rockruff herself.  

“G-Guys! Please, let’s-“

“Easily! I bet he used some cheap tricks! But they wouldn’t work on me! He’s nothing but a lousy-“

Zorua gave an uncharacteristic growl and jumped, clamping her teeth down on Growlithe’s ear. With a tug, she wrenched her head to the side, causing the fire-type to stumble. Growlithe yipped and jolted away; he scowled and rubbed a paw at his ear. 

“Ow! Zorua, what do you think you’re-“ Growlithe froze. His jaw dropped, and his tail immediately curled back around between his legs. The rest of his companions were much the same, facing the edge of the mountaintop, quivering in place. 

“I… I think we should go…” Eevee whispered. He started to back himself up the way the four had come. 

“J-just don’t m-make any loud s-s-sounds…” Zorua stuttered, stepping back. 

Team Floof had found themselves at the peak of Mt. Bristle, with no backup, staring face-to-face with none other than the outlaw Artemis had been chasing. 

The four looked at the chimera, who glared down at them. His steely silver eyes gazed into their souls and made them all shudder in pure fear and adrenaline. The massive Pokémon stared the four down, looking at them intently, as if daring them to come closer. 

“Leave. Now,” the outlaw growled. 

The four quivered, the voice grating at their ears, rough and unused, yet still radiating a sense of presence and power that they couldn’t hope to stand up to. This was too much. Far, far too much for them to even think of standing up to.

“We… We’re sorry. We’ll leave… P-please let us go.” Rockruff begged. The rocks in her fur shook from her jitters, causing the rocks to grate against one another and produce a horrific noise. 

The four apprentices backed away from the tall Pokémon, their nerves crawling as they looked upon him. He looked wrong. As if he was torn apart and stuck back together again with parts taken from different Pokémon. It set them on edge, almost as much as his reputation did. 

Never caught. Never defeated. Every team that had been sent to catch him had been knocked out and sent packing. Strong enough to rival the Legendary Ninetales in combat and cunning, escaping her time and time again, and sometimes even sent her home defeated. 

The four made their way to the edge of the mountaintop. Without a word, they all collectively turned tail and bolted. They sprinted through the shimmering tear in reality that led them back into the Mystery Dungeon. 

~{O}~{O}~{O}~

Silvally watched the four leave with narrowed eyes, then gave a soft sigh. He raised a foreleg and pressed his claws against his throat, grimacing in pain, and shifted it further, his claws working against the metal hinge of his jaw. The pressure against those constantly sore areas provided some form of relief, though he still grumbled in discomfort. Talking hurt. 

He sat for another minute, eyes locked onto the exit to the dungeon, ensuring that no one else would come stumbling through. It was growing late in the day, and those ‘explorers’ didn’t tend to search new locations for him at night. Maybe it was just habitual, or maybe they had to return else they faced punishment. He didn’t know and honestly didn’t care. As long as they kept away from him, he was more than fine with whatever happened. 

Now that he was confident he would be left alone for at least a few hours, he glanced around the plateau. Relatively flat, with rocky walls that lined a majority of the peak. A few sections here and there had crumbled away, leaving a rather quick shortcut down to the base of the mountain. 

A rock stood near one of the edges, a pillar of granite that loomed above the rest. Silvally found that to be the most sheltered spot from the wind, and made his way over. He gently lowered himself to the ground, and adjusted the Treasure Bag, moving the softer container beneath his head. He sighed, and let his eyes slip closed. 

Those kids would tell someone, he did not doubt it. Then this place would be swarming with violent and dangerous Pokémon intent on hurting him—hunting him down. He’d allow himself a short nap, before continuing on his path north. 

Silvally mapped out the route he would take in his mind while drifting off. He’d just sleep for a few hours, then he’d be off again. Just long enough to recover his energy. 

~{O}~{O}~{O}~

The ground hissed and melted beneath the angry strides of the ice-fire-fox. Artemis growled under her breath and made her way through Treasure Town, doing her best to avoid meeting the looks of the townsfolk. Coming back without the outlaw again? She could already tell what they were thinking about her. What kind of explorer was she? Her parents would be disappointed, and she knew it too. They didn’t need to think it so loud. 

Her body temperature spiked higher, anger bubbling beneath the surface. The build-up of ice in her fur—courtesy of her mother—began to hiss, steam literally rolling off her body. All combined, she looked like a vision of hate that crawled from the depths of Hell, leaving fiery steps in her wake.

“Hey! Hey! Artemis, how did the-“ Crawdaunt snapped his jaws and claws with a clack. Despite being one of the Wigglytuff Guild graduates and Artemis’s senior by nearly a decade, the look of pure venom that he received from her made his blood run cold. He wasn’t about to tempt fate. 

“Eek! She looks like she’s had a rough day!” Sunflora whisper-yelled. The comment merely added to Artemis’s ire, the temperature around her growing. Sunflora squeaked, whirled around with Crawdaunt, and the two pretended to look over the public notice board in town. 

A low growl slipped from her lips, startling several of the townspeople around her. Luckily, the town wasn’t too busy at this point in the night. The sun had just started to dip below the horizon and cast the world into various shades of orange, and signalled to the Pokémon of Treasure Town that it was time to turn in for the night. 

Artemis stalked her way through town, weaving around a few people who didn’t see her or couldn’t move quite fast enough. The only goal running through her mind was to get home and have a bath. She needed to clean up after the events of the day. There was blood staining her shoulder and foreleg, grass and dirt in her pelt, and some of her fur was even sticking up in odd spots! 

She hated being dirty. She hated electricity. She especially hated that damned outlaw. 

Artemis came up to the door of her home and used her anger to direct the power flowing through her. The door glowed pink with psychic energy, and she wrenched it open. The door slammed open against the rock brace with a thunderous crash and dented the heavy door.

“Stupid outlaw,” Artemis growled. She stalked down the stairs into her home and slammed the door shut behind her with psychic power once more. “We almost had him too! He was running for three days!” Artemis hurled her Treasure Bag into the corner. 

She began pacing, but at least had the mind to direct her abilities away from her paws. She had learned the hard way that pawprints were hard to unmelt from stone. She stamped a paw on the ground, and her tails flicked angrily, writhing like a nest of snakes. 

“We had him. We swapped out to keep him exhausted and everything. It was perfect!” She growled. Her anger wasn’t directed at Dugtrio, Exploud, or Bibarel who had volunteered to help. Hell, her anger at the outlaw paled in comparison to who she was truly angry at. 

Herself. 

“You got cocky, Artemis. You did it again and messed it all up. Now he’s gone. Again!” She grit her teeth and stomped toward the lip of the cave overlooking the sea, peering through the teeth of the Sharpedo. “You should have just gone for it, but you were showing off. Idiot.” She gnashed her teeth together, flames rolling from her jaws as she worked herself up. “I should have just taken him down right there. I could have done it too! Stupid!”

She should have just done it. Burn him with a Flamethrower until he passed out. Or shredded him to pieces and froze him with Powder Snow. She could have trapped him with ice shards, or set fire to the exits of the clearing. She could have done so many things. But she got cocky and just had to show off that she was better than him. 

Her paws tensed, and her tails thrashed. She took short breaths, huffing, fire rolling from her jaws. 

Idiot! Moron! Failure! Her perfect record she struggled so hard for was being ripped apart by this outlaw. She should have tried harder. She should have been smarter. She could have done it if she wasn’t so… so…

Useless! 

She screamed out over the ocean, and a torrent of flame followed. The spiralling inferno erupted outwards from the jaws of Sharpedo Bluff and lit up the beach and docks below in a hellish orange. She pushed all her anger into it. All her doubts and flaws and insecurities and burned it all with that single shrieking lance of fire. Night turned into day outside of the bluff, leaving terrified Pokémon to watch in horror. 

The Pelipper on the beach took off in a hurry, flying anywhere that wasn’t near what looked like a fire-breathing shark. The Krabby and Kingler that blew bubbles on the beach skittered away, ducking under the water or vanishing into the bushes. 

Gradually, Artemis ran out of breath. The stream of fire grew smaller and smaller before she cut it off entirely with a click of her jaws. The fiery hellscape from Sharpedo Bluff was no more. 

Now thoroughly drained, Artemis stepped away from the open view over the ocean and retreated. She gave a tired sigh and dragged herself over to the pool of water in the corner of the cave. A paw dipped into the water, and she grimaced at the cold temperature. Still, she slunk into the pool and raised her body heat. The water around her started to bubble, and she sank herself in lower, doing her best to ignore the prickling of tears in her eyes. 

“…Dammit, Artemis. You need to be better. Think of Mom and Dad. They’re still out there, they’re counting on you to find them,” she whispered. 

Artemis huffed, scrubbed the dirt from her fur, and worked the blood out of her coat. Her tails curled around to help where paws were useless and took a moment to just enjoy the warmth of the pool and the fresh water within. 

Finally, when she felt she was ready, she turned around. Her gaze settled upon the wall near the entrance, where a painting hung. On the canvas was an Empoleon shoulder to shoulder with an Infernape, very much in love. Right in between the two, held up in the center, was a Vulpix. A white Vulpix, with tails that ended in alternating colours of ice-blue and gold. 

Artemis sighed, and lowered her head to the edge of the pool, looking upon the painting. Her eyes roamed over the canvas—if she stared hard enough, maybe all the answers would appear.  

“C’mon, it’s been two years… I’ve gotta find something soon,” she breathed. 

Artemis finished cleaning herself and clambered out of the pool. A quick flare of heat was enough to flash-dry her fur, leaving it a little floofed up. She padded her way over to the shelves, and snagged a Sitrus Berry, nibbling on the expensive fruit. 

Energy filled her body, and in an instant, the healing properties of the fruit went to work. The wound on her shoulder and foreleg sealed and vanished before her eyes, and the headache she had been nursing faded away. 

Artemis crawled into bed and settled down on the pile of pillows. She shifted and wriggled to get comfy, and settled in for the night. Her tails curled around to drape over herself like a large blanket, keeping her insulated for the night. 

She didn’t dream that night. She was far too drained, physically and emotionally, to do anything other than rest. 

~{O}~{O}~{O}~

Artemis walked her way through town, passing everyone with a smile or nod. Her mood had vastly improved after a good night’s sleep, and her tails floated along behind her, flicking to-and-fro with her improved mood. Her walk toward the guild hall involved a stop at Kangaskhan Storage first. 

“Oh, good morning, Artemis! How are you today, dear?” Kangaskhan asked. The older, motherly Pokémon greeted the Ninetales with a smile. Her son was behind her in the storage building, likely sorting through items and categorizing everything. He peeked his head out and waved to Artemis before he ducked back inside. 

“Good morning, Miss Kangaskhan! I’m doing well, just recovering from yesterday is all,” Artemis said. She approached the counter and fished around in her treasure bag. All the useless items she didn’t need were handed over: a white gummi, a few big apples, and a TM she had no use for. Maybe she would sell it later. 

“Rough day?” Kangaskhan asked. She passed the items back to her son. 

“Mhm. That outlaw slipped by me. Again…” Artemis grumbled. A few unexpected pats to the head from the older Pokémon had her blink owlishly. The touch was nice though—comforting in a way she hadn’t felt in two years.  

“Don’t worry, dear, I’m sure you’ll get him eventually. Just one more outlaw to add to your record!” The motherly Pokémon smiled, and Artemis couldn’t help but smile back. 

Yeah, she’s got this. Next time will be different. She knew what she was going to do differently. 

Artemis bid farewell to the duo and began her way toward the guild once more. Her day had much improved just from that little chat. The stroll through Treasure Town was as nice as always, especially with the sun just starting to rise and warm everything up again. The atmosphere in town was lively and upbeat like usual, with Pokémon from all walks of life calling this place home. 

Her stroll was interrupted when she spotted Crawdaunt and Sunflora, the duo actually looking over the town’s notice board this time. Artemis approached, exchanged pleasantries, and she apologized for her mood last night. They understood, of course. There was always that one mission that slipped away, or that one bad day that ruined everything else. 

With their short chat finished, she wished them luck with their tasks for the day, and continued her way to the guild. Her walk was occasionally interrupted by excited children, and of course, she was more than happy to burn a pawprint autograph into a notebook. She rather enjoyed the praise and attention if she was being honest. It was nice to have her hard work appreciated and acknowledged. 

Eventually, she came upon the guild and found the front gates already open. There was no hesitation as she strode into the guild—they all knew her after all. Paws tapped down the spiral staircase and she descended deeper underground. 

She wouldn’t admit it to Wigglytuff, but she was incredibly glad they had finally replaced the ladders with this lovely staircase. Climbing ladders as a quadrupedal Pokémon was not the easiest thing in the world. 

The familiar sounds of the morning routine rattled through the guild, and Artemis couldn’t help the smile on her face, memories of growing up and training here flowing into her mind. She stepped onto the lowest floor of the guild—the basement storage hardly counted—and seated herself off to the side, trying to look inconspicuous. 

An aged Wigglytuff and Chatot continued their morning routine, and Artemis couldn’t help smiling as several of the recruits looked toward her. Chatot followed their gaze and looked over his shoulder at the seated fox.

Artemis raised a paw and waved. Chatot rolled his eyes and continued with the morning cheer. 

“…THREE! SMILES GO FOR MILES!” The trainees chanted, following routine like usual. 

“Ok, Pokémon! Get to work!” Chatot announced. The words flowed off his tongue naturally, years of the same routine coming as easily as breathing. 

“HOORAY!” The apprentices cheered.

Now that the daily cheers and such were finished, the threat of angering Chatot--or worse, making Wigglytuff sad—disappeared. The trainees swarmed Artemis, clamoured for her attention, and asked question after question. 

Did she really freeze a volcano? Of course. 

How did she take down Moltress? Strength, skill, and plenty of training. 

Did she have a boyfriend?  Of course not, she was-

Artemis blinked and looked at the Growlithe that asked. He wagged hard and blushed at her. Three children around the Growlithe groaned, and an Eevee bonked him over the head with a paw. Artemis glanced over to Chatot for help. 

“Alright, go on now! Shoo, all of you! You have work to do!” Chatot interrupted. 

The gathering around the Ninetales sighed or grumbled at the Guildmaster’s helper, but complied. They knew what happened when they didn’t listen to Chatot. Everyone complied with the order to clear out and shuffled their way up the stairs. 

“Meh-heh-heh! It never gets old watching those little scamps swarm a graduate.” Toxicroak laughed from his side of the room, still fiddling around with his cauldron. 

“Indeed! Good morning, Artemis! What brings you here?” Chatot asked. He fluttered his wings in greeting. The Pokémon was starting to look a little grey in his feathers around the eyes and the tips of his wings, but Chatot was still as lively and high-strung as ever. 

“Good morning, Toxicroak, Chatot, and Wigglytuff," Artemis greeted, her tails giving a little wiggle. “I, uh… Need to ask for a little help… It’s about that criminal I had asked Bibarel, Exploud, and Dugtrio to help with.”

“Goodness! Are they okay?” Chatot asked. He started to pace in front of Artemis, already well on his way to his usual stress-talking episodes. She interrupted his little panic session before it turned into a full-on meltdown and rescue search attempt. 

“Yes! Yes, don’t worry, they’re fine! They were a lot of help. They did their jobs perfectly and wore down the outlaw over a few days. They made it home fine. Unfortunately… I got careless and he slipped by me. Again.” Artemis finished. She folded her ears back, embarrassed, and cleared her throat. 

“Oh! Oh dear, that’s no good at all!” Chatot muttered. He started pacing once more, much to Artemis’s amusement. Some things really never did change.

“That’s why I came to you and the Guild Master. I figured if we could corner that Pokémon again and get Wigglytuff to cut off his escape, we would be able to take him down,” Artemis explained. She glanced up at the Guild Master, her eyes locking onto his own. Wigglytuff stared at Artemis, unblinking, intense and observant as always.  

“Hmmm… I would have to cover for the Guild Master when that time comes, but that seems doable,” Chatot thought aloud. He glanced between Artemis and Wigglytuff as if trying to decide what would be the best course of action. “I believe it should be acceptable. I take it you’re going to get Exploud, Bibarel, and Dugtrio to help again?”

“Mhm, that was the plan. It worked well last time, just needed a little more help,” Artemis explained. 

Wigglytuff was still staring at her. 

“I think that’s a wonderful idea. Especially for a four-star outlaw like himself. His two-year reign of terror on exploration teams can come to an end! What do you think, Guild Master?” Chatot turned toward his long-time friend with a tilt of his head. 

“…”

“…”

“…Guild Master?”

“…Zzzzzz…”

Artemis snorted and chuckled under her breath. Chatot reeled back in shock and embarrassment for the Guild Master. He hopped closer toward Wigglytuff and nudged him with his wing. Then he nudged him again, a little harder. Then a third time, and nearly sent Wigglytuff to the ground. 

Chatot huffed and flapped his wings. He turned back to face Artemis and completely gave up on rousing the Guildmaster. 

“Well, I think it’s a great plan. I’ll let the Guild Master know and—"

“YOOM-TAH!” Wigglytuff cried. 

Artemis and Chatot both jumped, the latter flapping his wings so hard he flew several feet off the ground. Chatot slowly fluttered to the ground with an embarrassed squawk and glared at Wigglytuff. Artemis merely sat back down and smoothed her fur out with her paws and tail, acting as if she hadn’t been startled at all. 

“That sounds like a wonderful plan, Artemis!” Wigglytuff agreed. He gave her a rather unnerving smile. “We’ll take down this outlaw so that he won’t bother our friends again!” Wigglytuff cheered.

His cheering was unmatched by the rest of the room. The three other Pokémon watched Wigglytuff dance in a circle, dart into his room, and then slam the door shut.

…

“Er… So, I take it that’s a yes?” Artemis finally asked.  “I’ll… just be on my way. I’ll stock up and try to locate the Pokémon again so we can catch him,” Artemis explained. 

The Ninetales took another glance at the closed office door and shook her head. Despite the seriousness of the situation, she couldn’t help the grin on her muzzle.  She made her way up the stairs, memories of her time here flowing through her head. 

After all the time that had passed, she was glad that some things never changed. 

Chapter Text

Silver eyes cracked open, blurry and unfocused. A particularly large yawn slipped from him, causing the unnatural joints in his jaw to twinge in pain. Silvally huffed and forced himself to lift his head, shaking off the shackles of sleep. He hadn’t slept that well in a while, and-

He looked up at the sky and a punch of adrenaline jolted him awake. He had overslept. Judging by the position of the stars in the sky, and that faint light on the horizon, he should have been awake and moving hours ago. It was very nearly morning now. 

Silvally grimaced and pushed himself to all fours—the unnatural joints and connections in his body twinged in pain. He still wasn’t used to the sensations this body brought, even after two years. The lack of proper rest, the nights evading exploration teams, and the fighting just made everything ache more. Still, he had to keep going. This place would be swarming with Pokémon before long. 

Talons kneaded into the stone and his legs kicked out, stretching himself out in preparation for his descent. Silvally approached the edge of the plateau and looked down, eyes following the slope of the mountain—large rocks jutted out and trees grew sparsely along the side.

Perfect platforms for his descent. 

His mind screamed at him that this plan wasn’t normal. People didn’t just jump down mountains—it was suicidal. This body was more than capable of it though, and longed for the thrill. He planned out every jump he’d be able to make and knew instinctively how hard he needed to push to reach it. 

Silvally took a deep breath, and tugged on that energy within him, shifting the way it flowed. His crest and tail changed colour again, and the power of flying-type energy thrummed through him. He felt light on his paws and talons and stepped up to the ledge. 

Then, he jumped. 

The panic in his mind at seeing the vast expanse of the mountain beneath him was bled away by his body’s instincts. This felt right, no matter how wrong it looked. He dropped through the air and angled for a large chunk of rock sticking out of the mountain. His talons hit first, and he shifted himself, his back paws contacting a moment later.

Another push sent him flying across the side of the mountain; the rocky surface brushed against his side. He dropped far enough to start sprinting sideways across the slope, falling lower with each step. Paws pressed into the mountain and, mid-sprint, he jumped toward a tree. 

Why had he jumped off the mountain? That’s not something people just do. At least, he didn’t think they should. The clashing feelings constantly threw him off—his mind would say one thing, while his body encouraged another. He didn’t understand why he could do the things he could—find food and water in the middle of nowhere, shift the energies in his body, it was wrong. None of it made sense. 

Sharp talons sank into soft tree bark, and Silvally lurched to a halt, snapping him from his thoughts. There was no time for getting existential, now he had to be putting distance between himself and his pursuers. He adjusted his back paws, and then lunged, shooting down the side of the mountain. 

His paws and talons impacted a rock, and he bounded off of it, already angled for the next boulder. Back and forth he went, lower and lower, making jumps that had him careening multiple body lengths over the mountainside. 

Unfortunately, he impacted a slab of rock a little too hard and loosened it. That minor shift was just enough to make a paw slip on his next jump. His leap toward a tree was too short, and instead of landing on it as he intended, his talons caught against the side. His momentum swung him around, and his claws were ripped out of the bark with a shower of woodchips. 

Silvally flipped end-over-end, completely disoriented, panic running through him. His side impacted the mountain hard, driving the breath from his lungs. The tumble downward disoriented him further, stunned by the impact. 

His legs flared outward in an attempt to control the rapid descent, paws skittering across the stone, and talons raking off the sheer surface. Despite the flying-type energy coursing through him, it did little to slow his fall. Still, he tried to use it to his advantage. He wreathed his talons in that energy and punched them into the stone. 

The side of the mountain shredded around his claws, stone shattering and parting like water around them. Still, he held on, gritting his teeth through the pain pulling on his talons. His back paws contacted the surface next, sharp claws sinking into the stone to try and slow him further. Sparks kicked up from the contact between metallic appendages and solid stone, causing his already aching joints to scream in agony. 

It was working. He started to slow down, and the searing pain in his forelegs started to drop. Those powerful talons held tight and remained buried in the stone. It took far longer than he wanted, but he finally came to a halt. 

Silvally panted, and clung to the side of the mountain, trying to control his heart rate. It was a struggle to fight past the tight sensation in his throat, and he breathed deeply, calming himself. He took a minute to recover from the mishap and kept himself pressed against the cold stone of the mountain. 

Silvally looked up and grimaced. The side of the mountain was carved up, four different lines gouged into the side of the rock. He looked down, and the resulting sight caused his ears to fold back. There was still a long way to go. 

A sharp tug removed a talon from the stone, and he flexed his digits, trying to work the pain out of them. Then, he swapped to the other one, keeping himself flattened to the side of the mountain. 

Another look down was all he needed. Stealth was out at this point, and he honestly didn’t care—he just wanted to get down. He tugged on something within himself and felt the change work over him. His crest and tail started to glow bright yellow and blue sparks danced along his fur. 

He had changed his Typing, or at least, that’s what one of the exploration teams had shouted when they attacked him. He didn’t understand any of this, but it didn’t matter.

Silvally bunched his muscles, and aimed straight at one of the trees growing out of the side of the mountain. He pushed and blurred to the tree, the electricity-infused Quick Attack sending him forward at absurd speeds. On contact he angled himself, and did it again, straight toward a rock. 

Jump after jump he made his way down, nothing more than a glowing line of lightning that zipped its way down the mountain. The surface became less daunting the further down he went. Stone changed into grass, and the occasional boulder became strictly trees.

 Finally, he made his last jump and hit the ground hard. His legs buckled but he stayed upright, claws and paws digging trenches through the dirt as he slid a short distance to bleed off his speed. 

He made it down. 

Heavy breaths escaped him while he looked around his immediate vicinity. There was no one lurking in the woods as far as he could see. He kept his ears perked and listened. Other than the light skittering of some nightlife, nothing else moved. 

Silvally took another deep breath to try to steady his heart rate. Now that he was down, he could take a minute to recover. His legs shook, and he staggered over toward the closest tree, the adrenaline of having jumped down a mountain fading. He moved to lean against the tree, and-

Pain flared against his side, and he yelped, leaping away from the tree. He staggered and whirled around, trying to see what had hurt him. There was nothing there. A glance at his side revealed something he hadn’t noticed. 

Blood stained his dark fur. It was difficult to tell how much he was bleeding in the darkness—combined with his fur colour made it even more of a struggle. The faint drip of blood from his side to the grass concerned him a little, as did the sticky feeling in his fur. 

Silvally rolled his eyes and shook his head at the situation. Was his freedom worth all this trouble? Maybe he should just lie down and give up; just wait for those teams to find him. Would it be so bad, captured by the people who had been hunting him down and assaulting him ever since he woke up?

…

Yes, he decided it was worth the trouble after all. He didn’t need to experience this abuse daily. Once every few weeks was bad enough, especially if one of them was angry and really went after him. Like that one time that damned fire-ice fox bathed him in flames for so long, he thought he would pass out from heat exhaustion. The only thing that saved him was changing his energy type to water. That little shift only allowed him to rush forward and stun her long enough to use one of those paralyzing seeds on her. He had suffered burns for over a week after that incident and his fur still tingled whenever he saw fire.

Or her. 

It was hard to believe she was still after him. Usually, the teams would give up after a few attempts, or if he managed to knock them out. But… he never managed to beat back Artemis completely. He’d been able to rely on traps, items, and tricky moves to escape her; occasionally he’d be able to get in a hit and knock her out. She was strong, fast, and clever—he needed to be more so. 

Silvally was aware he tended to push further from the main city whenever exploration teams became more hostile and aggressive. It was something he kept track of, to make sure he wasn’t becoming predictable. Normally, he would head east to get further still, hiding in the dark forests and evading them for long periods. 

Thoughts flitted through his mind and he huffed. He glanced into his treasure bag and sorted through what he had left: a few apples, two Oran Berries, and one of those weird seeds. He wasn’t quite sure which one it was though; it was difficult to tell in the dark.

Silvally turned back around and trailed his gaze up the mountainside. There were scuff marks and little chunks taken out of the trees—those weren’t very noticeable. What was noticeable were the four massive gouges down the side of the mountain. No one would notice unless they were looking high up the mountain, and he doubted any normal exploration team would predict his unconventional descent. 

Artemis, though…

He needed to do something to throw her off—make her think he was desperate and barely on his feet. If he was being honest, he would be at that point soon. For now, however, he would be fine. If she figured out he crossed over the mountains she would probably know he was headed east to the forests. He still planned to do so. 

To the west, the plains were far too open—running and hiding would be difficult over those flat stretches of land. The north was almost as bad. It was littered with sparse forests and barren land. Caves dotted the upper reaches of this island, and he wasn’t the biggest fan of those. Food would also be harder to come by. Of course, he couldn’t go south, that would be stupid. 

Silvally’s only reasonable option was to go east like he initially intended. He just had to mislead Artemis and make her think he was going north instead. Once he reached the caves to the north, he would backtrack and make his way east while doing everything to not leave a trail. 

Large talons stamped into the ground, and he worked to make his footprints visible. Normal teams and Pokémon might buy it, or even miss these entirely. But that nightmare of a fox… 

He made his way forward and brushed his bleeding side against the tree. Pain flared, and he grimaced but kept up his walk. Every step was emphasized a little to the right, putting more pressure down to make it seem as if he was limping. He was limping, but this was just a little extra. 

Talons and paws hit the ground and he started his way forward. The gash on his side sent pain through him whenever he brushed against bushes or a tree, but he had to keep it up for a little while. Just so that there was enough of a trail for Artemis to follow. 

He hoped this worked—he just wanted to be left alone.  

~{O}~{O}~{O}~

After she had left the guild, Artemis had made a beeline for Kecleon Market to gather supplies. Then she headed straight to Sharpedo Bluff to mull over the map in the quiet of her own home. Her notes were sprawled out beside the map, and her paws traced paths along the surface, plotting out possible routes and familiarizing herself with the environment once again.  

Once Artemis was certain that she had everything she needed to memorize, she gathered her things and headed back toward the guild. She had a plan in mind to discuss with everyone, and she was relatively certain she would be able to figure out where he’d gone. They would be able to set up a search line heading north to see if they could spot his trail, and-

The plan she worked on, going over the odds of certain actions, re-reading the Outlaw’s information, and ensuring she would be able to narrow down where he was after leaving Apple Woods… 

It all went to waste when she walked into the guild. 

It turns out, a junior group of explorers had run into the Outlaw the night before. When Artemis asked why they hadn’t told Chatot or Wigglytuff, the bird Pokémon sheepishly grinned. Chatot turned away from Artemis and muttered something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like “…I sent them to bed because they were out late and I wouldn’t listen to any excuses...”

Oh, had Artemis told him off for that one. Chatot took it rather well, if the sputtering and embarrassed squawks were any indication. She swore she saw Wigglytuff trying to hide his laughter at a former apprentice telling off his second-in-command for being too hasty. Especially because she was known to be rather quick to the punch among her guildmates back in the day. 

That whole situation had led up to now. 

Artemis found herself back in Apple Woods, near where she had encountered the Outlaw. It was useless to go directly to Mt. Bristle now, he was likely long gone at this point, so she figured she would check to see if the Outlaw had forgotten anything in his rush away from her.

A huff escaped her as she padded her way through Apple Woods once more, her nine tails fluttering behind her. They never touched the ground, and her steps were soft. She was like a ghost moving through the woods, and her white fur didn’t help dispel that image.

Artemis was honestly enjoying her time exploring the woods again. She liked the sounds of nature, Pokémon and animals just out of sight due to the effects of the dungeon. The place smelled fresh, and clean, unlike some other dirty and dusty areas she explored frequently.

Everything just had a nice vibrant feeling to it, accented by the light breeze that brushed through her fur. It felt familiar and reminded her of a time when her adoptive parents would take her out here to picnic. Some might say bringing a child to a mystery dungeon was irresponsible, but for those two, no one questioned it.

Besides, what place could be safer for a child than right beside the two legendary heroes who had saved the planet several times over? If several mythical Pokémon, time travel, and the laws of reality saying one of them shouldn’t exist couldn’t stop them, then why would some wild Pokémon pose a threat?

Her eyes slipped shut while she strolled through the woods. Vivid memories of carrying a wicker basket in her jaws, happily bounding along behind the Empoleon and Infernape, came to mind. They would make this trip out every weekend to spend time with her, and would usually collect some Perfect Apples while there. 

Now that she thought about it, it was more than likely a bribe to take care of her while the pair were out exploring the more dangerous dungeons. She hadn’t joined the guild until a couple of years later, despite her protests. 

Artemis’ ears flicked when a low buzzing sounded off to the side. She waited for the right moment, letting the sound grow louder before she sprang upward. The movement allowed her to backflip over the Combee that rushed her. Without even opening her eyes, she spat an Ember beneath herself. 

Those red eyes finally opened once she landed on all four paws. She glanced to the side and followed the smoke trailing Combee across the clearing. It hit a tree with a solid thwack and fell to the ground in a sprawl. The impact was hard enough to knock an apple from the tree, which bounced off the downed Combee, just to add insult to injury.  

Artemis smirked at the sight and stepped toward the downed Pokémon. Her jaws parted, and she descended, coming with a sharp snap. Teeth sank into the flesh of the apple, and she retreated with her prize, turning to continue her hunt for the Outlaw’s hideout. 

It was obvious she wouldn’t be able to find him here. Every time he had been found before by her, the Outlaw would change locations. He never repeated the same place unless he was forced into it, and wouldn’t ever leave until a strong enough team came around to try and catch him. It wouldn’t be like him to risk coming back after already climbing Mt. Bristle.

Artemis hummed to herself and stepped through the shimmering rift in space-time. The forest shifted and warped in front of her before everything snapped back into focus again. 

Mystery dungeons were odd places, and one could never really know what they would encounter inside. The rewards were amazing though: old maps to hidden dungeons, treasures thought to be long lost, and items one lost ages ago could appear in a dungeon. Some people managed to get lucky and could break a feral Pokémon out of their trance, and bring them back into civilization. However, some more self-aware people preferred to live out in the wilderness, away from cities and on their own. Case in point, the ugly mess of an Outlaw she was chasing.

The Ninetales blinked as she made her way to yet another section of the dungeon, pausing in her thoughts to take in the new scenery. The trees were darker now, fuller, blocking just a little more light from the forest floor. She moved along and kept herself alert, working her way between trees and following along a marked path. 

Artemis came upon an intersection and paused. The breeze drifted through her fur, and Artemis raised her head to scent the air. She nodded, then took the left path. If she was correct, then that would mean…

More bushes parted before her paws, or vanished in a puff of flame. Finally, she found what she had been looking for: the clearing that she and the Outlaw had fought in. Its position in the forest had moved but the room was essentially the same. She glanced over at the burned greenery from her attacks, the smell of ash lingering in the air.

Artemis flicked her gaze across the clearing, coming to a stop on the puddle of dried blood at the base of a tree. The fox narrowed her eyes and flicked her tails angrily. She had gotten cocky and underestimated the Outlaw when he was at his limit; she would not make that mistake again.

A growl rolled from her, and the energy within her spiked. Balls of ice started to form in her fur, which would quickly evaporate from the heat of her body. Steam began to roll from her body in growing wisps. 

Artemis huffed and looked at the ground, eyes following the claw marks the Outlaw had left behind. Those odd forelegs of his gave away his path, and she started to follow the gouges in the dirt. She had ignored the trail yesterday in favour of chasing after him, considering she was down for at most a couple minutes before continuing her pursuit. She hoped to beat him to the end of the dungeon, but clearly, that hadn’t worked out. 

She had let her emotions get the best of her again, not thinking clearly yesterday after she encountered him. Artemis was frustrated, exceedingly so. The Outlaw had been evading capture for over two years now! Not just from her though, Artemis had only been after him for a few months.

Thinking back on it, the first reported incident about the Outlaw was from Team Dusk, the child group of Team Skull. Oh, Arceus, did her parents have stories to share about those three clowns. 

Team Dusk had been beaten down and had an official notice pushed for the Outlaw’s capture. He had started as a low B-tier threat. After all, it was Team Dusk they were basing the criminal’s strength on… They weren’t exactly some world-class explorers, and Artemis had outpaced them all while still a Vulpix. 

What followed was roughly a year and a half of stronger and stronger teams attempting to track and take down the Outlaw, only for each one to come crawling back defeated—they refused to take on the mission again. Team Dusk had tried once more, of course, in an attempt to reclaim their pride. Instead, they had come back without their Treasure Bag. 

She just happened to be passing through to visit Wigglytuff when that particular conversation happened. Artemis huffed with laughter, remembering their expressions when they had to admit to Chatot that they had lost their bag—they had thrown it at the Outlaw as a distraction to escape. That move was useless when the Outlaw chased them down and knocked them out. 

Oh, Chatot had been mad. He had lectured everyone in the guild about not taking on challenges you couldn’t handle for over two hours. When she left after speaking to Wigglytuff, Chatot was still going. 

Artemis was broken from her thoughts when the trail she had been following took a sharp right, leading directly into the bushes. There was water nearby, apples all around, and it was fairly secluded, all things considered. Not a bad location for an emergency shelter. 

The fox used her paws and snout to part the bushes, stepping into a small alcove. She glanced down, looking at remnants of what looked to be a bed, nothing but leaves sticks acting as support for the massive Outlaw.

There were tally marks in the ground at the very back of the little alcove; she counted twelve. That was roughly the same number of days since she last encountered the Outlaw. She was getting better at tracking him and knew he’d go further out into the wilderness in an attempt to escape.

“This hideout is kinda sad. I would have at least used some Mareep wool as a bed. Maybe visit Crystal Cave and put a few glowing crystals up—this would be a pretty snug little fort,” Artemis mused. She looked around, trying to spot anything at all that may have been left behind. Maybe a possession that the Outlaw may want to return for.

Nothing. There was a little fur on the ground, and some blood from some scuffles, but that was it. She looked and saw an imprint on the ground of what must have been some heavy object, but there was nothing at all around to indicate what it might have been.

Artemis withdrew from the bushes and shook herself off. Well, he wasn’t here. The only way out was finishing the dungeon, so that’s what she would do.

The energy of Agility coursed through her—everything seemed to slow around her, and a faint glow surrounded her. With herself properly prepared for the dungeon, she bolted. 

Sharp turns meant nothing. She took twists and turns hard, digging her claws into the earth and then springing forward, sending grass and mud everywhere. She ran through one, two, and three floors, not stopping as she enjoyed racing through the familiar woods. The fox let her mind wander during her run, thoughts of racing ahead of her parents bubbled up from the depths of her mind. Memories of running from the much faster Pokémon, and enjoying the chase the whole time. 

A loud buzzing sound ripped Artemis from her thoughts. A Beedrill lunged for her, and she ducked, the stinger missing her by inches. She intended to ignore it and run past, only to skid to a halt. An Exeggutor lumbered out of the trees in front of her; the large Pokémon glared at her and blocked her way out of the clearing.

Various noises filled the clearing, causing her ears to swivel back and forth. She whirled around, taking in everything at once. She watched several Butterfree flutter down from the canopy, their wings sprinkling purple and yellow dust to the ground. A pair of Beedrill slipped from between the trees and bared down on her with poison-tipped stingers. Two Gloom, a Paras, and an Oddish all stumbled their way out of the shrubbery, thoughtless eyes glaring at her. 

She had run straight into a Monster House! This was an unfortunate circumstance for almost any explorer.  The Dungeon itself decided “Hey, fuck you in particular” and attempted to take you down with overwhelming numbers. 

To most Pokémon that were unprepared, this was the end of their adventure. They would be lucky if they were just knocked out and kicked from the dungeon. Some dungeons were more ruthless, consuming the fainted Pokémon and having them wander around aimlessly, lashing out at anything. If they were lucky, someone would put out a notice and request they be rescued. 

No, these were terrifying circumstances for any normal exploration team.

But Artemis wasn’t normal. She was a hybrid of two types of Ninetales in a forest frequented by Bug and Grass-type Pokémon. 

She grinned, and a lick of flame escaped her jaws. Artemis crouched, her tails flared out, and she sank her claws into the earth below. Frost and ice started to build up along her body, large and dense masses that clung to her fur.

The approaching Pokémon took no heed of her refusal to move and continued toward her. More ice built up on her body and the thick chunks fragmented to allow even more to build. Flame rolled from between her lips, and the ground sizzled beneath her paws. 

Wait for it…

They were getting closer. She could see their claws, jaws, wings, and tails glowing with various attacks prepared for her. 

Wait for it…

They were almost upon her—every single one intended to beat her down. They tensed themselves and lunged. 

Now!

Fire and heat exploded off of her form, and the sudden eruption caused the ice chunks on her body to rocket outward. The thick masses of ice shattered and scattered across the clearing, impacting various Pokémon all at once. The sudden hit caught them off guard and sent them hurtling backward from the blast. 

A thick wall of steam was the next thing to hit the wild Pokémon—the sudden temperature difference caused the remaining ice to evaporate and fill the clearing, immediately clouding the area and leaving them all blind. The ones that were still alive and conscious staggered around and swiped wildly, doing their best to fight back. 

They didn’t stand a chance against her. An orange glow sparked into existence in the center of the steam cloud. Then, a column of flame erupted out of the fog, superheating the very air itself. The lance of flame condensed, growing tighter and sharper; more concentrated. 

Several Pokémon had the good sense to run. 

The tight beam of flame whipped around the clearing, cutting through the fog with ease. Trees were sheared in half, and wild Pokémon were struck down by the near-solid beam of fire. The stream of flame moved randomly around in the fog, up and down, scorching everything in its path, with no way to predict where it would move next. 

After five long, terrifying seconds, it stopped. The clearing was quiet and the air hissed from the heat it was subjected to. The temperature in the area suddenly dropped. Thick steam immediately condensed, revealing the clearing; the ice pellets that formed fell to the forest floor.   

Artemis looked around with a little smirk on her muzzle, her tails giving a happy little flick. The clearing was destroyed, leaves and trees sizzling as smouldering gashes caused their insides to boil—the ones that hadn’t been sheared in half, anyway. The grass at her paws was tipped with frost and the coating expanded about halfway through the area.

None of the Pokémon stood a chance. They had all been knocked out, blasted away, or just killed. Several holes littered some of the Pokémon from the initial ice blast, while others were sporting harsh-looking burns running the lengths of their bodies—she had learned that little Flamethrower trick from her parents. 

“Wanna try that again, dungeon?” Artemis challenged. She huffed, and a wisp of steam escaped her jaws. 

Silence was her only answer. The wildlife wisely quieted; the wind blowing through the forest had stilled. The forest itself seemed to be holding its breath, in fear of angering her. Artemis flicked her tails in satisfaction. She knew the dungeons couldn’t hear or understand. They weren’t even alive… Hopefully. Even so, she couldn’t help but feel excited at how easy it was.

Paws fell upon half-frozen, half-scorched grass, and Artemis made her way back to the path she had wanted to go down. The end of the path came upon her far sooner than seemed normal and spat her out into another clearing. The exit stood before her, shifting and shimmering, reality fuzzy around the edges. 

It was as if the dungeon itself was begging her to leave.

Artemis smiled and padded forward, more than happy to move on. She blinked when the world around her shifted, and then lurched to a halt, spitting her back out into the real world. She took several steps forward to shake off the feeling and looked around the clearing. Everything felt much more vibrant and alive. 

Her eyes flicked toward the massive tree that sat in the middle of the dungeon exit. It had stood there for years, and she recalled memories around it as a child. All those picnics, and the nice afternoons with family and friends. She’d been tossed up into the branches at her request more than her mother liked. 

Artemis thought for a moment and then nodded. A cool glow formed around her, snow and ice pellets forming around her like a cloak. She shifted herself forward and launched the attack at the upper tree limbs. The cold wind and ice pellets shook the branches, knocking nearly a dozen Perfect Apples to the ground. Artemis opened up her Treasure Bag, and a pink glow wrapped around the apples. Every one of them was pulled toward her with a psychic tug, and filtered into her bag.

“There we go, a little thank you for Wigglytuff and Chatot,” she hummed.

Artemis gazed around the clearing once again, narrowing her eyes as she caught sight of the familiar mismatched footprints of the Outlaw. He seemed to be tired—she noticed some of the steps dragged through the dirt or a spot where a step was out from the others indicating he tripped.

His tracks were still heading north—made sense, considering those children spotted him at Mt. Bristle. From there… Well, she knew he went to the peak, likely to try and throw her off his trail. It was only natural he went that way; it would be a faster route than walking along the edge of the plains and risking being spotted at the mountain base. She’d check the peak just so she’d have a clear trail to follow. And even if there wasn’t…

It wouldn’t matter in the end. She was going to find him one way or another. Artemis had already put away hundreds of outlaws; what was one more in the grand scheme of things? He wasn’t special, just lucky.

~{O}~{O}~{O}~

Silvally came to a stop in front of the large yawning cave that sat before him. In the distance sat an immense crystal that towered into the sky, its sharp edges glittering in the sunlight. He looked over the crystal, pondering for a moment. Should he go toward it?

A glance at the singular apple sitting at the bottom of his bag told him that no, he shouldn’t. He should go to the forests and get food first before trying to outsmart the world-class explorer/stalker chasing him around the land.

He made his way up to the entrance of the cave and eyed it nervously. It made his fur stand on end, and the thought of forcing himself into that deep darkness, surrounded by solid rock without a method to escape had his body urging him away from it.

Silvally steeled himself and stepped forward to the edge of the Mystery Dungeon. He shifted nervously, and paced back and forth in front of it, making sure his paw prints were worn into the dirt. Once he thought it looked decent enough, he carefully stepped away, angling for patches of grass to hide any trails he could be leaving.

The goal was to make it look like he had gone into the cave after a lot of hesitation. Silvally knew Artemis was aware of his aversion to caves, or she should be by now. Maybe if it looked like he hesitated, he could trick her into searching for him there. 

Silvally made his way east once again, doing his best to leave as little a trail as possible. He kept to the grass and avoided any barren patches of dirt. Bushes and sticks on the ground were avoided at all costs, just to avoid leaving a hint of his passing. 

When he came upon a series of stones in the fields, he clambered upon them, shifted his energy to match those flying Pokémon, and leaped. He angled himself from rock to rock, keeping his paws and talons light. The use of Quick Attack even helped him cross larger distances without touching the ground. 

In the back of his mind, he was worried this still wouldn’t be enough. That somehow, that fox would still find him, chase him down, and hurt him. Still, that should be impossible, he was taking every precaution possible, short of just diving into the ocean and swimming for new land—he would consider it as a last resort. 

Hours passed, and he started to grow dizzy. Despite that, he continued—there was no stopping now. Once he managed to make it into the forest, he would take the opportunity to rest. Hopefully, the diversion would allow him a few extra hours, letting him recover, before continuing into the much deeper forests further east.

His eyes flicked up, and he finally saw it. In the distance stood the edge of the forest, and hope surged within him. Talons dipped into the bag at his side and pulled out the last remnants of food. He was left with nothing more than a Warp Seed, and his accursed helmet. 

Silvally huffed and steeled himself for the journey. He took off at a decent clip across the sparsely forested plains, relying purely on his strength and endurance. There was no way he would risk tiring himself out with those special abilities when he was so close to his goal. He was exhausted and needed more rest than the few hours he managed to get earlier.

Just a little further to the forest. He would be safer there, and he could finally rest. 

~{O}~{O}~{O}~

Artemis slid to a stop at the base of Mt. Bristle, her chest heaving from the effort of her run, steam rolling off her body to cool her down. She hadn’t stopped and raced from Apple Woods. It wasn’t a long run when she had layered Agility onto herself several times, but that flat-out sprint had drained her. Still, she had to catch up to the Outlaw, and a straight line is usually the fastest way to get somewhere. 

Red eyes roamed up and over the side of the mountain, all the way to the peak. The fox mused to herself for a moment, trying to decide which way she should go. She had been told that the Outlaw had been seen at the peak of Mt. Bristle. That means he had already completed the dungeon or had skirted around it and climbed up on his own.

She doubted he would go back into the dungeon. Artemis was well aware the Outlaw would continue trying to put distance between him and herself. That’s what frustrated her so much. He didn’t stop. He didn’t get cocky. He just kept going.

That mess of an Outlaw only seemed to stay in one place after entering a Mystery Dungeon a good distance away from where he had last been. This would lead to Artemis having to look through multiple dungeons before finding the right one and starting the chase all over again.

Her saving grace was that the Outlaw was starting to get predictable. Over time she had noticed that he tended to avoid getting closer to Treasure Town or the more populated areas unless she forced him into it. So, if he kept true to his pattern…

Artemis decided to pass by the entrance to the dungeon. Instead, she approached the side of the mountain and looked up, quickly plotting her path upward. She used Agility once, twice, three times, each one causing her to process things just a slight bit faster. The energy that thrummed through her was exciting. Her eyes locked onto her ideal path, and she launched herself upward. 

All four paws contacted the side of the mountain and she sprinted up the side of it, claws digging in as the slope grew steeper. Once Artemis started losing speed and traction, she switched things up. She lunged for the nearest rock and sprang from it, arcing through the air. Quick Attack would blur her from each surface, allowing her a moment to brace before she took off again, just scraping by the mountain’s surface. 

It took her less than thirty minutes to climb the mountain with her athletic form and versatile move set. She bypassed the dungeon entirely, and a final push sent her sailing up, over the edge and allowed her to land on all fours upon the peak. Her tails flared out and flame rolled in the back of her jaws in preparation, for the chance the Outlaw stuck around to ambush her. 

It was completely barren. 

Nothing immediately jumped out at her as wrong, so she began her search. She roamed over the plateau, turning over rocks, inspecting the ground for claw marks, anything. Eventually, Artemis stumbled upon a little patch of white fur wedged against the base of a rather large rock. It would have been a good spot of protection from the wind to nap.  

…If only Chatot had just listened. Oh, Arceus, she was going to give him another little chat to remind him. She could have had the Outlaw by now if he had just listened to the apprentices. 

Artemis shook her head and huffed, continuing across the peak while muttering under her breath. She pushed boulders aside, and climbed rock spires, checking every inch just in case the Outlaw was hiding.  

Once Artemis peered over the edge of the cliff and looked down, she managed to confirm that Silvally had indeed left.  There were chunks of bark stripped off of a few trees, and what looked like blood trailing down the cliff about halfway down. And then there were the massive gouges taken out of the rocky surface. Very subtle. 

If he was stumbling and messing up that badly, he had to be exhausted and running on fumes! She’s got him now!

Artemis crouched, leaped into the air, and sailed straight over the edge of the cliff. Ice started to gather around her paws. Within moments, thick slabs of ice formed around her paws, protecting her from injury. She planted her paws on the side of the mountain and let out a little laugh, crouching down as she descended. 

Trees and rocks whipped past her, sometimes just missing her. All according to plan. She skated down the mountainside, leaning left and right to avoid careening into a solid surface. Her tails would flare out every so often, catching on the air and pulling her hard to one side. 

In almost no time at all she had reached the bottom of Mt. Bristle. The ground started to even out, and the rock turned to grass. Artemis jumped hard and soared straight into the air. She arced herself back and flexed her paws, shattering the ice around them mid-backflip. 

Artemis landed on the grass with a thump, all four paws planted firmly, crouched low to the ground. A quick look around assured her that she wouldn’t be attacked immediately. She relaxed, straightened out, and turned around, looking back up the mountain. 

“Oh yeah, I’ve still got it,” she purred.

Her mind snapped back to focus and she immediately went to work. There were some gouges in the grass where the Outlaw had landed—rather firmly if the depth was to be believed. She glanced around, looking over the small puddle of red that stained the grass, and the red smear on the tree. Soft steps followed the trail of blood and heavy claw marks, the trail heading north. 

He wouldn’t have a reason to go that way. Artemis knew from past sightings that the Outlaw would have come through here at least twice, so he knew there wasn’t much north other than caves. That would leave his likely movements east or west. To the west was nothing but plains, and that would make spotting him much easier—east was the clear choice for him and would be her decision as well.  

She padded along through the light cover of trees at the base of the mountain, following along the broken branches and claw marks in the ground. Either the Outlaw was getting sloppy and was on the verge of passing out, or he was trying to mislead her.

Artemis smirked and flexed her paws. The well of energy inside her was directed to enhance her speed several times over, Agility stacking on top of itself over and over again, the shimmering purple around her legs visible. 

She started with a soft trot forward. Then a lope. Soon enough, Artemis was racing forward, nothing more than a blur as she burst from the trees at the base of the mountain. The trail any normal explorer would follow curved left and right occasionally, working into time-wasting loops. She ignored them all—she knew exactly where she had to check first. 

Crystal Cave.  

If she was right, they would be catching the Outlaw tonight.

~{O}~{O}~{O}~

“It was a misdirection. The trail led to the entrance of Crystal Cave, but never crossed it. Only his front claws were at the point where someone could pass through, not his back ones. He never went in,” Artemis explained.

The trio were inside the Guildmaster’s office, standing around a Wonder Map sprawled across the floor. Chatot leaned in close, squinting, and stared at the map in thought. Wigglytuff… Well, Artemis couldn’t tell if he was even awake at the moment. She chose to ignore those wide, unblinking eyes locked on her.

“He’s getting clever, this is quite troubling! Where do you think he would have gone? Amp Plains maybe?” Chatot asked. He pulled away from the map and fluttered his wings in agitation. 

“Nope! Unless he’s pushed west, he tends to avoid coming closer to Treasure Town or any other populated areas. He doesn’t go into caves either, which explains the front claws at the entrance, and not the back ones.”

“Oh! So that means he must have—”

“Mhm, he’s going to Treeshroud Forest. At least for now,” Artemis explained. She planted her paw on the map to point out the location. “He seems to move further at night when it’s easier to go unseen. During the day he typically likes to hide and recover. That means he’s probably going to the dungeon to throw us off, and to get some rest in.”

“Oh, I see! So once night comes around, he should move on?” Chatot asked.

“Exactly! I think he’s going to try to take cover in Mystery Jungle,” Artemis replied.

“Well, that’s no good, no good at all! That place is massive! Not to mention filled with dangerous wild Pokémon! We’re going to lose him in there!” Chatot squawked and flapped his wings in concern. He started muttering to himself, pacing back and forth. 

“Chatot! Chatot, relax. We’re not going to lose him,” Artemis laughed. She rolled up the Wonder Map and stuffed it in her treasure bag. “We have a secret weapon!”

“We do? Well, what would that be?” Chatot asked and came to a stop. 

“Don’t you remember who lives in Mystery Jungle?” Artemis asked.

Chatot opened his beak to reply, a confused expression crossing his beak for a moment. He took a breath to answer but was interrupted by a sudden shout. 

“Mew!” Wigglytuff cheered. 

The bird Pokémon squawked in surprise at the sudden cry and flew several feet into the air, flapping his wings wildly. He fluttered back down to the floor and tried to compose himself. 

“G-Guildmaster! Don’t do that!” Chatot huffed, sending a half-hearted glare at the pink ball of joy that was Wigglytuff.

“Exactly!” Artemis grinned at Wigglytuff, who spun around in excitement. “This isn’t going to be like the last time he went there and we lost him. We know where he’s heading now. We can cut him off, especially if we can get in contact with Mew!”

“Oh! I can do that! Lemme call Mew!” Wigglytuff seemed even more excited if that were possible. 

“C-call? How would you possibly do that? Isn’t Mew—” Chatot was once again interrupted, much to his displeasure. Artemis smirked at the bird’s reaction, enjoying having him disgruntled and cut off for a change.

“Yoooom….” Wigglytuff started.

“What— Guildmaster, what are you doing?” Chatot asked. 

Artemis merely sat down and watched. Her tails flicked behind her as she smirked at the sight. She had forgotten Wigglytuff didn’t show off unless he needed to, so Chatot was unaware of several of his connections.

Or his rather scary abilities.

“Yooooooom!” The Guildmaster shouted. His hands were on his temples, and he leaned forward, eyes screwed shut in concentration. 

The room started shaking, and Chatot began panicking. The Pokémon paced back and forth in concern, torn between trying to stop Wigglytuff or trusting him and Artemis to know what they were doing.

“YOOOOOOM!” Wigglytuff cried out. 

The whole cliffside started to rattle. Dust filtered down from the ceiling, and several shouts and screams echoed through the closed doors of the office, likely from the guild apprentices. A high-pitched whine started filling the air, and a heavy pressure radiated from Wigglytuff. The sensation continued to build, the sound reaching a near-deafening shriek. 

“G-Guildmaster! Stop! You need to stop! I don’t-“

It ended instantly as if someone blew out a candle. Chatot was frozen in place, hyperventilating. Artemis continued to smirk, greatly enjoying the whole show playing out before her. Oh, she missed this place sometimes…

When nothing exploded, Chatot started to calm down. The roof didn’t cave in, the walls didn’t collapse, the floor didn’t drop out from under them, and they were all still quite alive. The bird took a deep breath, and let it all out at once, moving a wing to his chest. 

Pop!

“Hiya!” A voice cried out, reverberating inside their minds. 

Chatot screamed. He launched himself off the ground and flew straight up toward the roof. He bonked his head and careened to the left, his talons desperately grabbing at some of the vines that grew from the walls. Chatot quivered in place, his grip on the vines tight. 

Artemis tilted her head at the soft giggle that rolled out of the newcomer, her gaze falling upon a rather small, very pink floating Pokémon.

“Mew! I’ve missed you, friend!” Wigglytuff cried. He stepped forward with open arms and rushed toward the cat. 

“I missed you too, Wiggles!” Mew exclaimed. She whipped around and shot straight toward Wigglytuff, tackling the Guildmaster hard enough to send him staggering back several steps. The pair laughed and spun around, much to Chatot’s confusion and Artemis’ amusement.

“What-What in the world is happening!?” Chatot squawked. He fluttered his wings, still clinging to the vine. The movement of his wings caused him to swing forward on the vine, and he clunked his beak against the wall. “Ack! G-Guildmaster! Artemis! Explain what’s going on!”

“Artemis!?” Mew exclaimed. She whipped around absurdly fast, and her tail moved with her, smacking Wigglytuff in the face. 

“Hi, Mew! It’s been a little-”

“You’re all grown up!” Mew exclaimed. The pink Pokémon darted forward and slammed into Artemis. While Mew nuzzled her chest floof, the Ninetales curled her tails around to drape over the feline like a blanket, hugging her in return. “Oh, you’re so big and strong and pretty! I can’t believe you evolved!”

“Aw! You’re far too kind! You’re looking as cute as the last time I saw you, you gorgeous ball of fluff!” Artemis replied, pulling away from the hug after a moment. 

“What… When was this a thing? How did- Wh-why can-“ Chatot cut himself off. “I don’t think I’ll ever be able to predict what the Guildmaster will do next, despite all these years.” Chatot continued to watch the scene from his little perch near the roof, mumbling under his breath. He watched the room with narrowed eyes, not at all trusting the relative calm.    

“So, what did ya need, Wiggles? I take it this isn’t a social call, hmm?” Mew asked. She floated her way to the center of the room and spun around in a lazy circle, looking at everyone in the room. 

“Not exactly,” Artemis replied. “We’re chasing an Outlaw, and we need your help. See, we’re certain he’s going to Mystery Jungle. He’s been there before, but we haven’t had advanced notice until now.”

“Oooh, I see! So, you need to catch the bad guy?” Mew hummed and brought a paw up to her chin. “Oh, this sounds fun! I haven’t helped with a mission in a while!”

“Exactly! So, what we were thinking was…” Artemis leaned in, followed by Wigglytuff. The trio in the middle of the room strategized and went over Artemis’ plan. 

By the end of this night, the Outlaw would be in custody.

There would be no escape this time.

Chapter Text

It was evening by the time Silvally managed to make it to Treeshroud Forest. Exhausted from the long run, he stumbled through that shimmering rift in space and stepped into the ever-changing landscape of the Dungeons. 

His first goal was to find food. He staggered through the trees, hunger gnawing at his insides. He grimaced but carried on. He wasn’t going to find food if he just fell to the ground and waited. 

Despite his weakened condition, he managed to take down several small Pokémon with relative ease. His stomach growled as he loomed over their defeated forms, defenceless before him. 

Should he eat them? It would help him immensely, and they had attacked him first after all. The more he thought about it, the more he hated the idea. They were just defending their territory, and reacting to a stranger in their homes. 

Even if the base idea was immoral on its own, eating them raw would likely make him sick. He didn’t have nearly enough energy remaining to cook them properly. Besides, they were people too… Maybe. It felt wrong to consume what could possibly be a sapient being. Maybe they just hadn’t been taught how to speak. 

Silvally left the downed Pokémon behind, and continued. The path he was on spat him out in another clearing and near the middle sat two apples. His steps were hesitant, and he looked around with a sharp gaze to spot any potential traps in the grass, or Pokémon that had set up an ambush for him. 

There was no such thing. He lunged for the food and consumed it far too fast, enough that his stomach started to hurt. He fought through the pain and continued on anyway—this pain was nothing compared to what could happen if he stalled for too long. He had to get further. Once he cleared this, it was a straight shot to the more dangerous jungle further east; he knew he could lose them there. 

The Mystery Dungeon seemed to blur by as he worked his way into the forest. Silvally made sure to collect anything he came across: seeds, berries, a gummi, a couple of orbs, and some of those annoying rocks that explorers loved to throw at him—they were pretty useful, he had to admit. 

It had been a couple of hours at this point, and Silvally was exhausted. Luckily, it was late in the evening now. The sun was touching the horizon and the world was lit up in a beautiful display of oranges, reds, pinks, and purples. Silvally looked up at the sky through the odd shimmering layer of reality that separated the Mystery Dungeon from the rest of the world, admiring the colours that danced across the sky. 

As awful as this world was sometimes, it was little moments like these that felt like everything was worth it, at least for a little while. He seated himself in a little grove, pulled out an Oran Berry to snack on, and watched the light fade from the sky. The healing properties of the Oran Berry worked through him, dulling the aches and pains in his mish-mash of a body. He sighed in satisfaction, able to properly enjoy the moment. 

Soon enough the sun dipped over the horizon, leaving Silvally in a darkening dungeon. He had made his way through a good number of sections and shifts within the dungeon. There shouldn’t be too many more to go at this point.  

Silvally yawned sharply and winced from the twinge of pain in the hinge of his jaw. He shook his head and blinked hard several times, trying to wake himself up. His lack of sleep was catching up with him. He raised one of his front talons, looking down at the shaky limb with an annoyed sigh. Maybe he would take an hour or two to sleep before continuing on. 

It’s not like the explorers came after him in the night anyway. They never had before, so why would they now? 

Silvally staggered forward and his vision grew dark around the edges, causing him to trip. He jerked his head up, and his eyes snapped open once more. It was then he realized that he needed to rest, whether he wanted to or not. 

Clenching his jaw, the chimera Pokémon made his way to the closest barrier of bushes. His metal face shoved branches and bushes out of the way, and he staggered into them—he’d be safer here than in the open. He fell into the bushes and huffed, the wood and leaves feeling so much softer than they had any right to. 

Maybe… He could afford just a few minutes. 

He would be able to get away with a short nap. Then, he could keep going. All he had to do was get to the more dangerous forest before dawn. That would be simple. 

His breathing evened out, and his eyes slipped closed. Sleep had a tight grip on him, and was dragging him deep into the depths of unconsciousness. The comforting warmth and darkness were a luxury he hadn’t been able to appreciate for a few days now, aside from the short nap atop the mountain. 

Silvally gave in to the natural urge to sleep and settled in for the night. 

“OUTLAW! YOU’D BETTER RUN!”

That was, until an explosive shout ripped through the forest, the volume straining the barriers between reality and the dungeon. The ground rattled from the volume of the shout, leaves falling from the trees and sending Pokémon scattering. The sound itself carried a wave of energy that immediately had the chimera Pokémon wide awake. Beyond the volume of the sound, the bellow carried with it a power that forced Pokémon awake against their will. 

Silvally bolted upright and fought through the bushes as quickly as his form would allow him, staggering back out into the clearing. He looked around, seeing nothing near him in the forest. That didn’t matter though. 

They were coming for him. He needed to run. 

~{O}~{O}~{O}~

The plan was simple. Exploud, Bibarel, and Dugtrio would go in first. Exploud would use Uproar in combination with a Roar at the entrance to the dungeon. This would send all the Pokémon running if they were smart. 

Dugtrio would come into play next, burrow through the dungeon, and feel for vibrations of the retreating Pokémon. A weird thing about dungeons is when a Pokémon steps through to the next area of the dungeon, they vanish from the current area. Dugtrio could find where the Pokémon fleeing had vanished and then relay the information to Bibarel and Exploud. Then the trio could run to the next section far faster than any normal Pokémon would be able to find. 

In addition to that, Dugtrio could tell Pokémon apart by how they walked. The vibrations their steps made let him know where and what everything was. He’d been chasing the Outlaw with the others often enough that he could narrow down exactly where he was among a group of Pokémon.  

Bibarel, for his part, was acting as the defence of the group. He’d protect them if any Pokémon decided to head toward the earth-rattling voice instead of running away. Bibarel was fairly strong and could send Pokémon flying with a single hit of his tail. 

The three would use their technique to rush through the Mystery Dungeon in an attempt to push the Outlaw out of hiding and force him out into the open.

Going in behind them would be Artemis. She was the backup—the heavy hitter meant to take out the Outlaw once and for all. She’d hang back and follow behind the three, covering their rears and ensuring that the Outlaw didn’t attempt to take them out from behind. 

If they did manage to get to the Outlaw, the Rollcall Orb each member of the team had would teleport everyone directly to him.  

Wigglytuff was rather excited for his part in all of this. He hummed to himself and stood at the entrance of the dungeon. They could trust the Guildmaster to handle the Outlaw on his own, in the event he used an Escape Orb or backtracked passed the team. 

Wigglytuff was having fun! It had been a while since he had been able to go on an adventure with his friends! Oh, he’d have to tell Chatot all about it when they got back to the guild. 

Artemis… was mildly annoyed. It shouldn’t take this much effort to take down one outlaw. She should have had him months ago, but the freak continued to slip away, using traps, tricks, and moves that would stun her long enough to escape. She’d much rather be in bed resting right now and was just slightly pissed about it.

Mew, however, wasn’t in the dungeon at all. She was waiting near the Mysterious Jungle for the moment the Outlaw would be pushed from the Mystery Dungeon. If the others didn’t capture him first, that is. 

Artemis had warned Mew that the Outlaw was fast, cunning, and relentless. The pink feline merely giggled and waved a paw at Artemis. She had a plan for that. The Outlaw wasn’t going to be any trouble for her. 

No, if she ran into him, the legendary would flatten the Outlaw, she had no doubts about that. 

So, plan in action, the four went into the dungeon. Artemis scouted around with her Agility-enhanced speed, while the trio bolted for the next section as fast as possible—Artemis followed after them. They worked through area after area, terrorizing the local Pokémon into finding the exit for them, and then raced toward it. It wouldn’t be much time before they caught up to the Outlaw. 

Sure enough, Dugtrio popped up in front of Exploud and Bibarel, startling the pair. He let them know that the Outlaw was just two rooms north, and that he was going to use his Rollcall Orb in moments. 

“WE FOUND HIM!” Exploud cried out. The sound echoed around the forest for Artemis’s benefit, letting her prepare for the teleport. 

They all vanished in a flash of light. 

~{O}~{O}~{O}~

The booming shout that echoed around the forest had Silvally’s heart leap into his throat. No, he had come so far! He was sure he was almost out of the forest now, just a few more sections and he would be free!

Silvally felt the ground under his feet shift, and he launched himself to the left to avoid the powerful attack from Dugtrio. Dirt shot into the air and peppered his fur as he skipped to the side. Silvally came to a halt and whirled around to face the tunnelling Pokémon. He knew from experience that water and grass attacks would be effective, and he began trying to string together techniques around that. 

His plan came to a screeching halt when a flash of light filled the area. Stunned, Silvally reared back to cover his eyes, his sleep-deprived mind slogging through information as fast as he possibly could. The light gradually died down, and with it, Silvally felt his heart sink. Dread filled his being as he looked upon the clearing, his whole body shaking with nervous adrenaline. 

Directly in front of him was the tunnelling Pokémon that had tried to attack him moments earlier. To his left stood the loud sound Pokémon, the one that continually tried to deafen him. The rotund, bucktooth Pokémon was to his right—its tail hit the ground hard enough for it to be felt where he stood.

A sharp, chillingly familiar growl sounded out behind him. Silvally turned himself around, taking cautious steps, doing his best to avoid setting off the Pokémon that had him surrounded. Behind him was none other than that hybrid fox, flames already flickering in the back of her maw. Her red eyes were narrowed, filled with hatred. 

Briefly, he entertained the idea of surrendering—he was exhausted. He didn’t have the power to fight them all off at once even when fully recovered and rested. Now… 

Thinking fast, Silvally’s form blurred around the edges. Multiple copies of himself popped up around the clearing, the Double Team disguising his current form. The illusions followed his movements, and tensed up, preparing to sprint from-

“EARS!” Exploud said ‘softly’.

The Pokémon surrounding Silvally dropped to the forest floor and covered their ears, or disappeared underground. It only took Silvally a second to realize what was about to happen, too slow to prevent it from occurring when the purple Pokémon inhaled.  

He was hit by an absolute wall of sound from Exploud. The illusion copies he had made shattered in an instant. Silvally was sent sprawling back from the force of the sound, completely disoriented by the blinding pain and the ringing in his ears. He staggered to all fours, his balance thrown off; hot fluid ran down the sides of his head, oozing from his ears. 

Silvally had no time to move as a searing hot pain enveloped his entire side, the burning fires of none other than Artemis washing over his form. He arched away from it as much as he could, pain wracking his form. As if by reflex, his type changed. His crest and tail lit up a blue colour, and the water-type energy cut the pain of the flame in half. Talons and paws hit the ground; he tried to run away-

Silvally wasn’t able to take more than a step before he was hit hard again. Bibarel’s rock-covered form slammed into his legs, the Rollout sending Silvally sprawling. He tumbled across the forest floor, and rolled to a stop, the world spinning around him—he was still disoriented from the sound attack.

 The intense heat bathing his side seemed to have stopped, only for him to writhe as sheer cold washed over his other side. Silvally screeched in agony, unable to defend himself from an attack while he was being assaulted from all sides. The tight beam of pure cold ate at his side, ice-type energy chilling him to the bone. 

In desperation, Silvally swapped his typing once more. Yellow glowed from several spots on his body, and he clawed at the ground, trying to fight through the pain and get out of the way. Silvally was unable to get any traction from the ice that spread across the forest floor.  

The sheer cold bathing his side cut off, leaving Silvally shaking in pain and cold on the forest floor. He tried to move, only to get caught by another attack. 

Dugtrio slammed into him from underneath, crashing through the ice and hitting Silvally in the ribs. A loud crunch sounded out from inside himself, but he wasn’t able to process having his ribs shattered. The force of the impact sent Silvally airborne, and he somersaulted through the air, battered, bruised, barely conscious. 

He hit the ground hard, the impact driving his already broken ribs inwards, and hit the forest floor hard enough to bounce on impact. Hot, white, searing pain filled his being, driving the air from his lungs, unable to think through the sensation. He tried to do something, anything, to get away from the pain they were causing. Luckily, his body responded. 

A sharp flash of white filled the dark forest, carrying with it a piercing soundwave and intense light. He had used Flash—not intentionally, but the attack still went off, catching the four attacking Pokémon completely off guard. 

There wasn’t much time left. Silvally clenched his jaw and shoved his bruised talon into his bag. A familiar shape brushed against his claws, and he pulled it out. Without wasting any time, he shoved the seed into his mouth, and bit down. He really hoped he didn’t pick up any other weird seeds and didn’t remember them. 

The Warp Seed activated, and his body folded in on itself, his massive form vanishing with a pop of displaced air. Silvally panted, trying to take a moment to recover now that he was safe. They would be after him soon—he had to keep going. 

Desperately, he pulled out two Oran Berries and ate them as fast as he could, feeling the healing energies washing through his form. The stabbing in ribs ached slightly less, and he found he was able to push himself to all fours. His back left leg wasn’t able to hold much weight, and from the way it shifted when he moved, he really didn’t want to look at it. 

An enraged shout echoed from just several sections down and Silvally scrambled. He had only moments before that tunneling Pokémon would be after him. With his electric typing still active, he forced himself to speed up with Agility—time seemed to slow around him and a purple haze formed around his legs. Another Double Team, and a dozen battered Silvally’s surrounded him, all copying his movements. 

Then his pursuers were upon him again. With his enhanced speed, he avoided the explosion of dirt from underneath him, the Pokémon missing him by mere inches. Silvally didn’t stick around as another bright flash of light filled the clearing. He’d already taken off, Agility helping him race away, limping along as fast as he reasonably could. 

He glanced behind himself, only to find the furious red eyes of Artemis baring down upon him, the fox rocketing down the pathway toward him. Flames spilled from her jaws, and her teeth glowed with fire-type energy. Furious wisps of steam rolled off her back, and her paws left hot glowing marks in the grass with every powerful step. 

Silvally clenched his jaw and pushed himself as hard as he was able, paws and talons digging up the ground beneath him. Just a little further to another clearing, away from the death trap that was limited movement space between trees.  

Talons and paws flew across the forest floor, flinging back dirt and grass toward his pursuer, who just pushed through it. He was almost to the clearing! The energy welled up inside himself, and he pulled. He felt lighter once more, flying-type energy coursing through him. 

Artemis’s paws hit the ground right behind him, and he could feel the heat radiating off her body. He jumped, then soared across the clearing, certain that Artemis had jumped after him as well. His eyes darted around the clearing, hoping to find something, anything that could help him-

There! A trap, hidden in the grass. He had no idea what it would do, but he needed anything to help him. 

Silvally slammed a talon into his bag and pulled out a GravelRock, one of those dense stones other Pokémon threw at him constantly. With a twist and a searing pain in his ribs, he flipped himself around mid-air. He aimed and hurled the rock at the trap he was currently flying over, his momentum carrying him past the trap and onto the other side of the clearing. 

Artemis was over the trap the moment the rock hit it. Her eyes were wide as if she just noticed the trap beneath her. The rock hit the hidden panel on the ground. 

Click!

An explosion ripped through the clearing and hit the hybrid fox full force. Artemis sailed across the room, trailing smoke and fur, impacting the upper branches of a tree with a wet crunch. Silvally was sent hurtling backward as well, his form tossed end over end into another corridor of trees, his body kicking up dirt and grass, slowly skidding to a stop. 

The chimera Pokémon groaned and spat out a glob of blood onto the grass. He clenched his jaw and tried to push himself to all fours once more. Silvally’s legs gave out, and he collapsed onto his front, his shattered ribs shoving painfully into his middle, causing him to gasp and clench his body. He forced himself to all fours once again, keeping weight off his back leg entirely now as he limped forward. Gradually, he gained speed, the energy of Agility working over him once again.  

Running through the maze, he stumbled upon the shimmering tear in reality and hurled himself through it, hitting the ground running on the next section. He staggered to the left and slid a little, running down a narrow hall and leaping over a wild Pokémon—his vision was too tunnelled to see what it was. 

He needed to escape. They were going to kill him. 

Silvally ground to a halt and slid his way around a corner, limping toward an Oran Berry on the forest floor. Not a moment was wasted as he consumed the fruit. The ache in his ribs faded and his burns cooled the smallest amount. He felt the ground shake and rattle again, exactly the same as when Exploud had shouted before. 

But he couldn’t hear any of it. 

Silvally raised a talon up to his ears and carefully felt around, then brought it back down and found his claws stained red with blood. Anxiety filled his form, but he steeled himself and shook it off. He could panic once he was safe. 

Another Agility had him racing through the woods as fast as he was able on three legs. He was this far ahead, and if the fox was still recovering, then that meant-

A quick switch of his typing to water allowed Silvally to intercept the tunnelling Pokémon, leaping over the assault and returning fire with a powerful swipe of his talons, scraping the water-coated claws across his opponent. The super-effective move sent the Pokémon rocketing out of the ground and skipping across the forest floor. Silvally didn’t wait to see what became of it as he landed and continued running.  

Silvally hobbled forward into another clearing, and his Agility wore off. He was running on fumes, and another wet cough spat more blood to the ground. He shook his head and pushed onward at a regular pace, taking a brief respite to recover the slightest amount of energy as he loped along the forest. 

In the next clearing, he saw it! The tear in reality! He would make it to the next section. He couldn’t have that many more left, he was sure of it. One or two at the most! He raced forward, hobbling on three legs as he reached out to the rift and-

The world shook, and Silvally was swept off his feet by a powerful force. He careened to the left, and his body skipped across the ground a few times, tearing into his damaged sides, before he came to a halt at the base of a tree, impacting his ribs once more. He saw white, pain blinding him; stars in his vision as he tried to regain stability. 

The ground beneath him rumbled with the approach of something thundering toward him, but he was unable to hear what it was. In desperation, Silvally threw himself to the side and landed hard. He wheezed in pain, the frozen and bleeding side against the grass. 

The tree he had been up against shattered and the rock-covered form of Bibarel slammed into it. The tree creaked, tilted to the side, and came to the ground with a thunderous crash. Bibarel merely shook himself free of the rocks in his fur, and fixed his eyes on Silvally, already preparing another assault. 

Silvally pushed himself to his feet with a grunt, stumbling as he did. He glanced behind himself to see the approaching form of Exploud, the sound Pokémon running toward him for some kind of melee attack. Maybe he had strained himself with too many shouts?

He turned his attention back to Bibarel, who was now covered in rocks. The Pokémon curled himself into a tight ball, and launched himself at Silvally, kicking up rocks and flattening the ground beneath him. Silvally widened his eyes, and attempted something he had only managed twice successfully. 

Fighting through the pain, Silvally planted his back legs firmly in the ground, his claws digging in. He type-shifted once again, pulling on something he rarely used, struggling to remember the feeling. With a sudden shift, he changed, an orange colour lighting up his crest and tail. Silvally ignored the pain in his back leg, and waited, readying himself, energy coating his talons. 

Silvally went for the Counter. 

He shoved himself toward the incoming boulder, leaning forward with his talons up to intercept it. Metal talons met rock in a horrific screech of material. The Rollout move hit Silvally hard, spinning faster and faster as it fought against that strong grip. Silvally was pushed back several feet from the force of the impact, but held his ground, preventing the attack from bowling him over. 

Silvally clenched his jaw as the spinning grew faster still. A shrill shriek sounded out from the contact of talons on rock, growing louder as the boulder sped up, throwing dirt and mud back behind it. Bibarel was getting harder to hold, and his talons shook from the effort. Finally, Silvally followed through with his defense. 

Muscles bunched and he let out a scream of anger and agony, the effort nearly impossible to fight through. Silvally tensed, and hurled Bibarel to the side, launching the high-speed spinning attack at Exploud. The boulder spun faster and lurched forward, traction sending the hyper-velocity rock straight at the Pokémon that had been about to strike him from behind. 

The attack exploded on impact, and sent Bibarel and Exploud hurtling into the forest, toppling end over end in an uncontrollable arc. They vanished into the trees, and several thumps and thuds let Silvally know they had likely gone through a tree or two. 

Now that he was alone again, he staggered to the side from the effort, his back leg in absolute agony. It was definitely broken, and he had to do his best to avoid using it until he could find somewhere safe to recover. He made for the rift in the dungeon, intent on continuing. 

Before he was even fully through the shimmering barrier, he was hit full force from behind by Artemis, the fox hybrid fully healed and looking more furious than ever. She sank her teeth into his shoulder and let out a furious flamethrower, the point-blank move causing the fire to burn past any defences and straight into his skin. He wailed, the powerful sound causing the Ninetales to grimace, but she didn’t stop. 

Desperately, Silvally slammed his metallic head into her skull, the sickening crack causing Artemis to reel back and release the heavily injured Pokémon. His front leg wouldn’t cooperate, the limb damaged extensively and burned from the fire-type move. On his side, Silvally struggled to even think. He blindly reached forward in an attempt to crawl away, only to get a good look ahead of himself.  

Oh. That wasn’t good. Pokémon were filtering into the room. He glanced around, noticing the number of items on the ground around them. 

A trap room. Also known as a Monster House by explorers. Houndoom, Alakazam, Vespiqueen, Kirlia, and even a wild Ninetales all blurred into reality, having been waiting for their next victims to appear. 

Silvally reached into his bag, talons grabbing one of the orbs he had managed to pick up before he started running. He looked up to see the incoming form of a Houndoom barreling toward him, dark energy coating its jaws. 

He crushed the orb in his grip.

The room lurched to a stop. 

The Foe-Hold orb activated, freezing every Pokémon in place. The entire section of the dungeon stopped. Silvally took a moment, shaking in place on the floor. He was alive by pure chance. The chimera clenched his jaw and forced himself upright, staggering as his vision went black and the room spun. 

He was almost there. He could do it.

He hobbled forward on two legs, barely staying upright as he limped into a pathway through the thick trees. A glance behind himself showed the tear in reality, only to see it ripple. Exploud jumped through, hateful eyes locked on Silvally’s retreating form. He didn’t appear to see the room around him properly, as the moment he let out a shout, the entire area spurred into action once again. 

Silvally staggered as the yell shook the floor, but it didn’t seem to affect him. He couldn’t hear what was said regardless, so if it was supposed to intimidate him, nothing happened. The chimera looked over his shoulder as he hobbled away, just catching a glimpse of the Houndoom barreling into the purple sound Pokémon. A moment later, the form of Artemis was sent careening past his field of view, surrounded in a pink glow, followed shortly after by an Alakazam. 

Silvally staggered, trying not to fall as he worked his way forward. His front leg was unresponsive and his back one hurt too much to set it down. He didn’t want to look and see how bad the damage was just yet. Silvally willed himself on, step after step. Two legs were absurdly difficult to balance on, but he continued on. One step at a time. 

Turning one last corner, he saw it! The exit! 

His throat felt tight, and breathing was difficult, but he made it forward. Hope soared within him, encouraging him on, giving him that last little burst of energy he needed to complete his journey. He stepped through; the world shifted around him and then lurched to a stop. 

He had made it out. 

Silvally looked up at the sky; it was well into the night now. He just had to keep going east. It wouldn’t be long before he was at the more dangerous and dark section, and then he could use the dungeon to his advantage. Traps, pitfalls, and hidden rooms would serve him well there. He could find them easily—he always did—and hide until he recovered. 

Silvally took shallow breaths as he hopped forward one step at a time, trying not to breathe too deeply to keep his ribs from aggravating his insides. They had been ruthless this time. They were going to kill him, he had no doubt. He pushed down the wave of fear that rolled through him.

Run. Panic later. 

“I dunno, I’d panic a little right now if I were you…” 

Silvally jumped in surprise—it was the first thing he had been able to hear since that initial sound attack. He whipped his head around and wobbled from the sudden vertigo. There was nothing around him. 

He gingerly set his back leg on the ground, hissing through his teeth as he hobbled forward. Sharp pain lanced up his leg, but he continued on, he needed to use his back leg if something jumped him. His front leg was still useless from the burns—he couldn’t feel it at all.

A little pink form darted in front of him, coming to a stop right in his face, the two nearly nose-to-nose. Silvally jerked away from it and his back leg crumpled under the sudden weight transfer, causing him to collapse to the ground. He hit the ground hard and shuddered, clenching up to ease the pain that washed over him. 

“Ouch, that looks like it hurts!” The voice was far too cheerful for the scenario. 

He glared up at the pink feline, not at all enjoying its tone. Its blue eyes worked over him, taking in all his features with an interested hum. 

“I’ve never seen something like you before! You’re a little creepy…” The small Pokémon zipped back and forth above him, flicking her tail. “What are you… a fish? No, that part is for bugs. This must be steel type then. Oh, but these are feathers. And dragon scales? But then-“

Silvally had the good graces to roll his eyes. Despite the situation, she still had time to insult him. Then she started looking over him like he belonged in a museum. Wonderful. At least she wasn’t attacking him, that much was a saving grace. 

“Oh no, we’re going to fight! I want you to get ready first though, so it’ll be fair!” The pink Pokémon twirled in the air, her tail snaking to-and-fro as she floated around him. She was far too energetic and excited for what was about to come. 

Silvally groaned and pushed his good front leg underneath him, and then shuffled to push up with his back leg, clambering to all fours once again. Well, if she was insistent that they were going to fight, and made the mistake of letting him prepare, then he would take advantage of that. 

He glanced into his bag, silver eyes looking over everything. There wasn’t anything he could readily use without losing the use of his front leg and falling over. He saw a seed rattling around in the bottom, a Stun Seed, he believed. Maybe if he propped himself against a tree? 

Without much else going for him, Silvally did his best, which was all he could do. A tug on something within him caused his feathers and tail to glow a bright yellow, and blue electricity crackled over his fur, the electric typing settling in. 

The small pink Pokémon floated around him, and leaned in close, inspecting his feathers closely. She prodded at one of them and pulled away when a small shock zapped her paw. 

“Hey, that’s really cool! Can you teach me how to do that?” The Pokémon asked. She looked at him closely, bobbing up and down in the air before him.  

Silvally did his best to ignore her and focused inward instead. The familiar rush of Agility worked through him, and things seemed to slow down. A light haze formed around his limbs as he layered Agility on itself, each time causing his vision to swim just a little more. 

After the fourth Agility use, he staggered, his vision going black for a moment. He managed to catch himself, and clenched his jaw, forcing himself to stay upright. An exhausted sigh escaped him, and he huffed, taking a breath and standing upright. 

“You’re really hurt. If you want, you can just stop and wait for them to arrest you. Or you can talk with me!” She twirled around in front of him. “My name is Mew! Well, that’s what I am. My name isn’t important. But what are you? I’ve never seen anything like you!”

Silvally looked at her in disbelief, the stream of words in his mind just confusing him further. He really didn’t want to fight her. Mew seemed too innocent and nice, and on top of that, he didn’t think he’d be able to do much. He was on his last legs, literally and figuratively. 

Wait, maybe he could just get around her—leave her behind and go to the next forest as fast as he could. Then he could find a spot to rest and recover and hide from the exploration teams. 

…Why wouldn’t they just leave him alone? 

“Ready?” Silvally asked. Well, he thought he did. He had no idea what he said, unable to hear what was happening. Mew merely bobbed in response, floating in the air, her tail giving a playful flick behind her.  

Silvally bunched his muscles and launched forward with a Quick Attack powered by electrical-type energy. He bolted past Mew, leaving a trail of blue behind him, his talons and paws thundering across the forest floor. He ran as well as he could given his injuries, hopping over rocks, and swerving between trees. Feeling gradually crept back into his other front leg, and he allowed it to hit the ground, aiding in his balance a little as he ran. 

He ran, eyes narrowed to try and see through his blurry vision and the dark forest. The clouds overhead did little to help him see in the night. Despite all that was hindering him, he saw something in the distance. It was familiar. It was-

The entrance to the Dungeon! The rift shifted and warped, shimmering with all possible colours in the middle of the forest. Silvally felt the energy and hope return to him, encouraging him onward. He could see his goal, and sprinted straight for it, ignoring the pain in his legs and sides in favour of speed. 

He raced for it, seconds from entering. There he would be able to hide and-

A solid pink wall popped into existence before him. There was no time to react, or even attempt to slow down. Silvally hit the barrier head-first at full speed and bounced off, the impact driving the breath from his lungs. He fell to the ground hard, unable to brace himself, and hit his side—damaged ribs shifted and stabbed into his middle. Silvally wheezed, trying to take in air and roll off of his ribs. Muscles bunched and he tensed up, trying to withstand the pain, and blinked the stars from his vision. 

“You wasted your turn, silly! I can’t let you run away!” The little pink Pokémon popped into existence in front of him. She whirled around, and flitted back and forth, waiting for him to react. 

Silvally huffed, and coughed wetly, blood flecking out onto the grass. He pushed his legs beneath himself and heaved himself upright once again, shaking from the effort. Maybe he could just knock her out with a well timed electric-swipe, or maybe illusion copies could distract her long enough for him to slip away. 

“Nuh uh, those won’t work on me. Besides, it’s my turn.”

Reality shifted around him and he felt the power enhancing his speed slip away. A bright whirl of pink radiated out from Mew, and she let out a little giggle. Silvally’s eyes widened as the little pink Pokémon became a blur, zipping across the forest at an absurd speed. She shot around him and blurred from side to side, giggling the whole time. 

“Hehe… Trick Room! You should have been more careful! Now all your speed boosts are mine!” Mew sounded far too excited and happy about the situation they were in. She whirled around the clearing and darted in between trees. 

Silvally staggered toward the psychic barrier and pressed a shoulder up against it, bracing himself. He sank his working forelimb into the bag and fished around for that Stun Seed still in there. The orbs were useless outside of dungeons, and the berries were of no use to him, but seeds worked outside of Dungeons. 

Something familiar brushed his talon and he tried to grab at it, only to have his hopes ripped from him, like the bag. Mew zipped right by him and the bag was enveloped in a pink glow, before bring torn off of him. 

His heart sank—his helmet was still in there, he needed it! A shaky step brought Silvally closer to Mew. He struggled toward her, his eyes locked on the bag. All he wanted was to get it back. 

Silvally wasn’t able to react to the speedy form of Mew rocketing toward him. She spun around in a tight circle, and her tail whipped out, coiling tightly around his uninjured back leg. A sharp tug ripped his leg out from under him. Unable to rely on his other back leg, and with his heavily damaged front, he wasn’t able to balance his weight on one talon.

He hit the ground hard. Silvally gave a pained wheeze, gritting his teeth, eyes rolling back. Black crept in around the edges of his vision, and he struggled to stay awake. He just… needed to get up… He could still do this… 

“Shhh, go to sleep…” Mew’s voice was soft and comforting. 

Silvally managed to focus his eyes for all of one moment, getting a good look at those bright blue eyes staring into his own. With a flash of pink, the world faded to black. 

“Sweet dreams…”

~{O}~{O}~{O}~

Mew giggled and gently set the rather heavy head of the Outlaw down on the ground, giving him a little pat on the noggin for good luck. She floated back and looked at the odd form of the Pokémon before her. This was the first time she’d seen anything like him! He looked weird, all things considered, as if someone had taken several types of Pokémon and just mashed them together. 

She hissed through her teeth at the rather awful burns along one of his sides, and the other that charred his shoulder and upper leg. On his other side, extreme frostbite, with split skin, ice still clinging to his form, and the cold obviously impacting him still. His back leg was bent in the wrong direction in two places, and his ears had blood leaking down from them. 

He was a tough piece of work if it took that much to make him stop. Why didn’t he give up before it got this bad? Maybe he stole something important? 

Curiously, Mew grabbed the treasure bag and hefted it up. She shook it around and emptied out all the contents onto the ground. Let’s see… a Pecha Berry, a Stun Seed, a Warp Orb… mostly boring junk. 

Thunk!

…And whatever that was. It looked heavy! A metal helmet of some kind, or at least that’s what it seemed like to her. Mew tossed the empty bag to the side and pawed at the helmet a little, hefting it up with her psychic powers. She moved forward and ducked her head into the helmet, floating in a little circle while exploring the inside of it. 

There wasn’t a lot of room in there! There was a small slot for what seemed like food, and a space for eyes, but that was it. And it was heavy—it weighed more than Mew many times over again. 

Finding nothing else interesting inside, she pulled back and set it down on the ground. Mew worked her little paws over and examined the object. This was fun! Like a little treasure hunt while she waited for her friends to arrive!

Mew tapped her tiny paws across the helmet and found it fairly rigid as if it were solid metal all the way through. Large arches and green gems at the base of the helmet reminded her of something, it had to be important, but she just couldn’t put her paw on it. Working her way up, she glanced around the area where the neck would sit and found a little engraving. It was an old language; one she hadn’t seen in quite some time.  

“Hmm… ‘Silvally’? Is that your name? Or is that what you are? Maybe a secret code!” The joyful Pokémon floated away from the helmet, humming to herself. Well, if the helmet wouldn’t give her answers, she would have to look a little deeper!

Mew floated over toward the Pokémon sleeping on the ground, frowning a little as she listened to the pained, desperate wheezes he was making as he tried to breathe in his sleep. She might have to heal him if his natural healing didn’t start soon. For now, she needed him weakened and asleep, at least until everyone else arrived.

Mew purred as she floated down to settle on the grass beside the odd-looking Pokémon. He had been oddly reluctant to attack her. Maybe he was a gentleman Outlaw? Oh, how exciting! That might be fun, the crime-causing villain, and the dashing heroine! Unable to force themselves to fight because of mutual respect and feelings. Oh, that sounded like it would be a wonderful little romance!

Giggling to herself, Mew settled on the grass and shifted forward a little, planting her little paws on his head. Her eyes glowed, and a soft purr escaped her as she pressed her focus into the mind of the Outlaw.

…

It was… Dark? No, it was empty. Mew giggled—it’s not like criminals had a lot of brains going for them anyway!

Mew hunted around in the dark a bit and found relatively little. Was he resistant to her ability? It didn’t feel like it. Curious, the pink feline worked her way back a little, looking over the events of the day: lots of running, fighting, scrambling. She appreciated the Outlaw’s situational awareness though, using traps and tricks to his advantage. He must have been raised by some cunning bandits then!

Pushing her way further, Mew followed that train of thought. She went aaaaaallll the way to the beginning, settling herself in for the long ride. It usually took a while to dig up memories that far back, and-

She was there already. Well, that didn’t take long at all. Maybe she was right, he was just empty-headed! Typical Outlaw. Mew giggled and gave a curious hum, attempting to look at the earliest memory she could. 

…

It was dark. Cold. She was floating? No, she was swimming?

 Something happened, she wasn’t sure, but the world shook and the ceiling started collapsing. Suddenly, she was on the floor, sprawled out, and cold. Where was she? Who was she? 

She looked at her front legs. They were wrong. Something was wrong! She brought those horrifying talons up to her face and met metal. She felt around blindly, panicking. She was trapped! She wrestled with the contraption around her head for a moment, struggling and straining. The metal was latched tight, digging painfully into her neck. It was too heavy, weighing her down. 

She tried to regain her composure and looked around the room. She saw…  Oh no... She saw the rotting, floating corpses of something that seemed like it had the same front legs and the same metal contraption on her head. She struggled to her feet, straining to lift that heavy metal helmet. On wobbly legs, she staggered forward, taking in the grizzly sight of that mess of parts floating in the fluid. 

Glancing to her right, she saw a similar chamber. That’s where she had come from. There was a rock at the base. It looks like it shattered the glass. 

The world shook again, the roof caving in further, rocks bouncing off the helmet, and sections of the area caving in. What was happening?

…

Mew pulled herself from that memory with a gasp, her heart racing. Just what in the world was going on? Why was that the first memory? Surely there had to be more somewhere! She hunted forward a little. Maybe there was something a little further on that explained everything…

Mew hummed and worked forward a little bit, her psychic powers flaring. She pressed calm and sleep upon “Silvally”, keeping his mind relaxed as she worked through the memories. 

…

She was drowning. 

Sea water was filling the helmet and the heavy thing was trying its best to drag her down. Despite the large paws and the fish-like tail, the effort to swim was extraordinarily draining. Still, she fought on, every kick sapping her energy, every tail movement causing her spine to ache. 

She was almost there though! She thought she could see land! It was just a little farther! She had made it this far; she would be damned if she gave up now. She focused and fought, straining toward the land. She’d come so far; she’d been swimming for hours. There was no turning back. 

There was a tug inside her, and energy rolled through her body. This wasn’t adrenaline, this was something else entirely. What was happening to her? She turned her focus forward again, reinvigorated, pushing forward hard. She was going to make it. She wasn’t going back to that tiny cave; she didn’t have to be stuck with those walls around her. 

Just a little further…

…

Mew pulled back, her mind reeling. This wasn’t helping her at all. The psychic Pokémon furrowed her brow and her tail gave an irritated flick.

Hm… wait, irritation. Anger! She hunted around, trying to find something that had a strong emotion attached to it. What made the Outlaw angry? 

Memories came rushing forward and flooded her mind.

…

She was angry at… herself? No. Her situation? That she didn’t know anything about herself? It was confusing, not knowing where she was, who she was, or even what she was, wandering around this weird land. She glared at the odd creatures that roamed by, trying to keep herself separated from them. She didn’t know what they were, or what they might do. 

Why was this place changing? She growled, frustrated at this stretch of beach that just never seemed to end. She should be able to find her way out, so why couldn’t she? Steep sand walls blocked her way, keeping her from climbing out. Not that she could with that heavy helmet weighing her down. 

A group of those creatures approached her. They were talking, and saying things she could actually understand! Maybe they could help! She walked toward them, and-

Wait! Why was she being attacked? What did she do to them? Those three shouted something about “freak” and charged her! Why!? She cringed away from their claws and teeth, rearing back. She attempted to avoid them, but the helmet weighed her down. She couldn’t retreat fast enough and recoiled in pain at the searing claws tearing into her side. She whipped her head around in desperation and slammed the heavy metal helmet into one of the creature’s sides. The smaller creature was flung away and skipped across the sand from the force of the hit. 

She didn’t know she was that strong. That was meant to make it stop, not throw it across the beach! 

The others renewed their attacks, and it hurt. She had to protect herself! She pushed forward and worked through the attacks, taking the hits and forcing through them. One of her talons lifted and then slammed one of the smaller creatures into the sand. Its fighting and struggles stopped instantly—luckily it was still breathing. 

She charged for the last one who was throwing rocks at her—they bounced uselessly off her helmet. She reared back and stomped on the creature, driving her talons onto it over and over again. It was on its back, but still thrashing, so she kept slamming it into the sand, blow after blow shoving it deeper down. Finally, it stopped moving, and she pulled away. 

With the attacking creatures no longer moving but still breathing, she gave a sigh and retreated. She tried to look at her side through the limited space in the helmet. Her fur felt all wet and sticky, and she was certain the wounds were more severe than they felt if the blood falling to the sand meant anything.  

…

Mew gasped, mind reeling.  No… no! This couldn’t be right! There had to be more. She desperately pulled at more memories. Words came to mind. Outlaw. Exploration Team. Arrest. Wigglytuff’s Guild. Assault. Bad Pokémon. Artemis. Oran Berry. Mystery Dungeon. Arceus. 

What was happening? He couldn’t be blocking memories; he was still completely unconscious. 

Mew searched for something, anything that would help. She looked at all the intense moments of anger, or fear, and found the same thing. He was being attacked. Over and over again. He didn’t know why. He had tried pleading once, and they kept hurting him! He offered to help them, and then they threw something at him and blinded him! 

These exploration teams… All attackers! Criminals! 

Encounter after encounter. Everything was the same. They sought him out, looking for a fight. He learned. He grew. A heavy attack caught him in the side of the head, and in desperation, he managed to tear his helmet off. There was so much blood. Why did his face have metal on it? What was he? Who was he?

The helmet only held one word. Silvally. 

Those ones from the first encounter came back. He was stronger this time. He took their possessions and left them with the bare minimum. He could shift energies within himself and used it to his advantage. He got stronger still. More fighting, more running, more pain, more more more more more moremoremoremore—

Panic. Fear. Anger. White fur, red eyes. Ice and fire. She wouldn’t leave him alone. He had learned he couldn’t convince them, and talking hurt. Why did she keep chasing him? He had to run. He needed to sleep. He was starving. He hurt. Burning pain, freezing cold, broken legs, running, fear, escape—

…

Mew pulled away from Silvally with a gasp, her mind racing, chest heaving. She looked at him and found those silver eyes staring back at her, or maybe through her. The two just stared at one another, Mew reeling with the knowledge she had pulled from his mind. The other was too exhausted to move, taking short, shallow breaths, trying to focus on the pink being before him. 

“You… You’re lying! Tell me you’re lying!” Mew demanded, her emotions all out of sorts. This couldn’t be true, could it? If it was…

Silvally gazed at Mew, blinking softly, barely conscious. He was quivering in place, body trembling, attempting to respond in some way to all the sensations crashing into his mind at once. He was too hot. Too cold. He couldn’t hear anything right now and was barely able to see. Mew was able to sense all of this while looking at him. 

“You… I… Oh no…” Realization hit Mew, the bubbly Pokémon struggling to comprehend exactly how badly things had gone wrong. She flinched when Silvally gave a rattling cough in front of her, a little more blood flecking the grass. He clenched his eyes in agony for a moment. 

Mew blinked back tears, and floated off the ground, backing away. She looked down at the broken form of Silvally and brought her paws to her face, covering her mouth. She flitted back and forth with indecision for a moment, before floating back down. Her heart clenched in her chest when she reached out to hold Silvally’s head, only to have the Pokémon try to pull away, eyes widening in fear. 

“W-wait! Hang on! Let me make this right!” Mew flitted away and looked over his form, trying to figure out what to do first. The short, shallow breaths drew her attention, and she moved lower, holding her little paws above his broken ribs. A wave of energy rolled from her paws and into Silvally, the Healing Pulse pushing her energy into him with the sole intent of fixing him. 

Mew wasn’t sure if it would work. She still didn’t know what he was. Yet, she kept at it, her concern dropping as she watched the ribs shift back into place, and his breathing deepened. Oh, Arceus, was he supposed to be that thin?

She flitted back and forth, looking over him, then moved to his front leg first. She winced as he twitched away from her paws, and Silvally writhed in pain. 

“Shhh, I’m sorry. Let me help. Please…” Mew poured her energy into the wound, burned flesh knitting together, nerves becoming functional once more. She watched Silvally clench and relax his talons, his gaze growing a little clearer. “There, that’s it. I’m not going to hurt you.”

Those silver eyes glanced up at the floating pink Pokémon, who took a moment to float backward, giving Silvally room. The Pokémon groaned and shifted, taking deeper breaths, watching Mew closely. After a moment, he attempted to stand, pushing his front legs under himself, followed by the back one that wasn’t broken. He staggered a little, and Mew reached out with her psychic powers to help him upright. The upwards assistance made Silvally tense for a moment, worried she was going to attack him. 

The pair looked at one another for a long while. Blue eyes gazed at silver. Blood continued to drip from Silvally’s injuries, the poor Chimera unsteady on his feet, yet determined to meet her gaze. 

“Will you let me help you?” Mew whispered, floating a little closer. Her tail flicked nervously behind her, and she brought it forward to hold with both paws. She squeezed gently, watching the large Pokémon make a decision. 

Mew was focused on Silvally, holding her breath. She smiled as he took a step forward, ducking his head down in a nod, working closer toward the floating pink Pokémon. Mew could feel the loneliness filling his being, and the caution in his decision. He was so certain she would hurt him, but he was willing to try. 

Mew was too focused on Silvally, letting him approach. Silvally’s eardrums were still ruptured. Neither heard Artemis coming until it was too late. 

“Mew! Look out!”

~{O}~{O}~{O}~

The Outlaw was far too close to her old friend, and Artemis intended to fix that. Her cry of warning came just before she lunged for the criminal, fire coating her jaws, and power thrumming through her body. 

A single Quick Attack launched her across the distance between the two, and in an instant, the Fire-Fang she prepared sank into the Outlaw’s upper shoulder, near the base of his neck. The momentum from the attack sent the two shooting away from Mew and into the forest. 

Artemis kept her jaws clamped down on the Outlaw, and the two tumbled across the ground. Despite hitting trees or bouncing off of roots, she kept her grip firm, powerful jaws burning the Outlaw’s flesh. There was no chance she’d let him get away this time.

They crashed through bushes and bounced off trees. Artemis managed to get the upper paw in the tussle while the criminal flailed and struggled. Her eyes flicked up, and she adjusted herself, using the Outlaw like a cushion as the two careened toward a tree. The sickening crunch from the ribs of the Pokémon below her didn’t concern her in the slightest. 

With the Outlaw stunned from the harsh attack and impact, Artemis reared back, and opened her jaws, fire flickering at the back of her throat. Then, she unleashed the torrent of flame onto the criminal, ignoring the horrific cries of pain from the creature beneath her. She bathed the Outlaw in fire, searing his side, his frost-bitten flesh burning. 

“No! Artemis, stop!” Mew’s voice cried out. “Don’t hurt him! You don’t understand!”

Artemis snapped her jaws shut with a click, cutting off the river of fire pouring from her jaws. The fox had no time to look upon the downed Outlaw. 

A bright pink glow surrounded her form, and Artemis found herself hurtling through the air, ripped away from the criminal. She flailed and fought against the powerful psychic grip that held her in the air, trying to determine if it was Mew or the Outlaw that had her in their clutches. 

Artemis’s struggling halted when she spotted Mew. Her little paws were outstretched, and a psychic barrier stood between Artemis and Mew. She had placed herself between Artemis and the Outlaw. The fox let herself dangle in the grasp of Mew’s power, brows furrowed, trying to understand what was happening. 

“Artemis, please,” Mew begged. “Look at him, he’s down. You need to stop.” 

Red eyes roamed over the Outlaw’s form. Sure enough, he was still on the ground, unable or unwilling to move from his spot. Artemis had to admit he was in rough shape: his body was still smoking; burns coated his form, having singed away flesh and fur alike; the fire-fang attack at his shoulder had sizzling puncture wounds oozing blood from the gashes. 

“Why are you defending him?” Artemis accused. She kicked in Mew’s psychic grasp, unwilling to break out just yet. She could, but the strain it would put on both of them would be unpleasant. 

“I’m protecting him!” Mew exclaimed. Her mental voice was angry and laced with emotion. “He was trying to run from you, and from me.”

“Why? Did he do something to you? What did he-“

“He’s innocent, Artemis! He’s been hunted and attacked for two years!” Mew’s words shook her mind, and rattled around inside her head, making the fox wince. The psychic hold on Artemis loosened, and she was lowered to the ground. 

“What are you talking about? He’s been wanted for two years. And what about all those teams that were knocked out, or the-“

“They attacked him first! He was defending himself!” Mew snapped. “I looked through his memories, Artemis. Can you honestly tell me it’s impossible?”

The frustration and guilt Mew felt was bleeding through into Artemis’s mind through that psychic connection, causing all sorts of unpleasant feelings to course through the fox. She shook it off and made her way forward. 

Mew retreated at the same time. She turned away from Artemis and floated her way back over toward the downed Outlaw. The large barrier spanning between Artemis and Mew vanished, only to be replaced by a spherical one around just Mew and the criminal. 

Soft steps carried Artemis forward, and she curled around to get a good look at the Outlaw out of his line of sight. She sat down at the edge of the psychic barrier and watched on with a tilted head, ears perked to hear everything. Her gaze was on Mew, but she also watched the downed Pokémon closely. 

“Hey, are you still with me? I’m going to help, okay?” Mew’s voice resonated through Artemis’s head, and from the twitch of the criminal, his too. “Just breathe, I’ve got you. Let me help…”

Artemis winced at the anger and sorrow that Mew projected—Artemis used her own abilities to shrink that mental connection a touch. She had to admit that maybe she was a little rough on the criminal. 

He was curled in on himself, one of his talons covering his face, covered in burns. It looked like he had tried to defend himself as well as he could and curled to protect his more vulnerable areas. That other talon was limp before him, blood pooling under the limb, open wounds and burns covering it. His breathing was shallow and quick, and Artemis swore she saw blood trickle from his mouth. 

If he had just laid down and given up, then she wouldn’t have had to go this far! 

She ignored the absolutely scathing glare from Mew when she thought that. Artemis was fully certain she was in the right, finally putting an end to the reign of terror the Outlaw was putting on exploration teams and innocent Pokémon. The end result was a bad Pokémon being stopped; that was enough for her. 

“Hey, this might hurt a bit. I’m not trying to harm you, I promise. You’re safe now,” Mew hummed. 

Those little paws spread apart, and a blue-green glow radiated out from between them. Artemis recognized the Aqua Ring being used on the Outlaw, and stifled her protests. She trusted Mew to know what she was doing. Instead, Artemis sat and watched those burns fade away with every wash of cool, healing water over the criminal. She tensed when the Pokémon twitched away from the contact, but nothing more happened. 

“Can you look at me, please? Let me see your face, I need to make sure you’re alright.”

Mew’s little paws grabbed at those large talons and peeled them away from his face. Artemis couldn’t exactly see what was happening, but the little relieved sigh from Mew let her know nothing was horribly damaged. 

The Outlaw tensed once his talon was removed from his face, and his leg fell to the forest floor as if he had given up. Well, finally, it was about time. This whole song and dance had gone on for way too long, in her opinion. 

Mew’s paws settled on the Outlaw’s cheek, and the criminal relaxed. That glow of light rolled from Mew’s paws again, a Heal Pulse washing over the Pokémon’s head. He jolted, and his ears flicked around as if he was finally hearing the world around him. Knowing how loud Exploud could get, that was completely possible. 

Dugtrio, Bibarel, and Exploud finally caught up to them and emerged from the forest. Unfortunately, they stepped into the Outlaw’s line of sight, and the immediate reaction had Artemis on edge. She raised a paw up, signalling the trio to stop. 

The criminal still tried to stand, muscles bunched, and a panicked sound escaped him. He only managed to get his front talons beneath himself, and struggled, before he fell to the ground hard. A pained wheeze escaped him from the impact, and his ears folded back. Mew panicked and floated closer in an attempt to reassure him. 

“No no no! Just relax, you’re safe now. I promise. Just focus on me, the pretty pink one!” Her attempt at humour fell flat. Mew floated down to set herself in front of the Outlaw, blocking his view from the three still standing there. “I’m not going to let them hurt you. They’re going to stay away from you.”

Wave after wave of Heal Pulse washed over the criminal, and Artemis sat silently, watching. She firmly believed that they should take the Outlaw to prison first, and then get him medical treatment. It would be better if he was secured and in custody first, so he wouldn’t pose more of a risk. 

The injuries gradually knit together, bones shifted, and Mew’s sadness seemed to grow if the light sniffles and tears dripping down her cheeks said anything. That, and the near-crushing depression that radiated from the psychic Pokémon and forced itself into everyone’s minds. Bibarel seemed to wither a little from the sensation, and Exploud grimaced. 

“Hey, it’s okay, you can sleep. I’ll be here.” Mew promised. “I’ll keep you safe. You… You don’t need to hurt anymore. It’s going to be okay.” 

“Please…” the Outlaw whispered. 

Artemis reeled back a touch. She was so certain that the Outlaw was mute, he had never spoken at all between any of their encounters. Now that he was hiding behind Mew’s empathy, he spoke? He was probably tricking her, or had some training with manipulating psychic types and thoughts. If he could do the impossible and change his typing at will, who knew what else he could do? 

But Mew was holding his comparatively massive head up, and his whole body went slack. The way she set down his head and gently brushed a paw against his cheek just made Artemis even more confused. 

Why did Mew care so much about this Outlaw? Why was she crying? What happened in the brief few minutes between getting caught in a fight with a dozen wild Pokémon, and chasing down the Outlaw outside the dungeon? She couldn’t be right about everything…

Could she?

Artemis glanced over at the other three Pokémon that had been pursuing the Outlaw within the dungeon and met their eyes. She shook her head when Exploud looked at her and tilted his head toward Mew and the Outlaw.  

No, she would leave them be. She would trust Mew to know what she was doing. Even if she was wrong, Chief Metagross was more than capable of ripping through a criminal’s memories and pinning them for everything they were guilty of. If he was innocent—she scoffed at the thought—then all would be well. He would just have to move far away so no one would recognize him and she’d never have to see that horrific mess of a Pokémon again. 

If he was guilty though… If he had been attacking teams for years and was trying to wriggle out of punishment… If he was manipulating Mew into defending him…

She would throw his broken form into prison herself if she had to. Not even the pink legendary would stop her. 

~{O}~{O}~{O}~

Mew was concerned. Conflicted. In her many, many years of living, she couldn’t recall a situation quite like this. She had no idea who or what this Pokémon was, and from his memories, neither did he. 

When she had the chance, she’d have to see if she could figure out exactly where he came from. She looked upon him, and once again, that semi-familiar shape tugged at memories in the back of her mind. There was something she was missing. 

Silvally twitched in his sleep and pain coursed through him. His leg was still broken, and Mew wasn’t sure she could fix it completely. His ribs, sure, they seemed pretty normal, at least in comparison to the rest of him. But she didn’t want to risk fixing something wrong and making things worse. 

The thing that bothered her the most about this?

Not only did Artemis not seem to believe what Mew told her, but the psychic type could feel the distrust and anger toward the sleeping Pokémon. Maybe it was just pride? Mew thought it something far more deep-seated than that if the swirls of anger inside Artemis meant anything. 

And poor Silvally. When she’d held his head in her paws, he felt safe. He struggled to not sleep and fought as hard as he could to keep his eyes open. The only thing that coursed through his mind at that moment, was the hope that if he stayed awake, this moment of peace wouldn’t end. He had fought, and pled, struggling to enjoy that moment of kindness and care just that little bit longer. 

It broke her. Mew hadn’t gone through his memories in-depth, but from what she had seen… 

This was the first time he’d had someone care about him, or for him. He’d chosen to trust her, despite everything, and he’d been hurt for it. 

Mew fought back tears and kept her paws on his side, working over his fur. Gradual pushes of energy had skin and fur regrow, and she pressed carefully, making sure his ribs sat solidly beneath her paws. 

Arceus, he was thin. His ribs protruded far more than she thought necessary. That is unless he was naturally like this. She doubted it—his shoulders were too wide, and his legs too bulky for that. Silvally was freakishly tall, and the proportions seemed off, even if he was a mishmash of different parts. 

Mew sighed, and wiped at her eyes, paws coming away damp. She knew she’d have to help them take him into custody. There was no point in keeping him away when everyone would still be after him. She wasn’t going to let them take him until he was awake and knew what was happening though. 

She promised she would keep him safe, and that she would help him. 

Mew was going to stick by her promise. And if she had to fight off Artemis, or the entirety of the Exploration Society, so be it. She would make sure he was in good hands before thinking of leaving his side. Wigglytuff would be someone she could trust without hesitation. She’d be able to count on him if things didn’t go well. 

Mew would keep her promise. She wasn’t going to let anything hurt him if she could help it. 

Things were going to work out, she was sure of it.

Chapter Text

“…emis, for t.. ..st …., . .efuse t. … .im wak. .. .. a hold… .ell!”

“We ca.’. … ..m stay he.., … …ld apprenti… … .n danger n… ..m!”

“.., .or— He’. … ..ngerous!”

Where… Where was he? Why did his head hurt so badly? A terrible pounding in the back of his mind caused him to wince, clenching his eyes tighter. Who was that talking? They sounded familiar. One voice wasn’t verbal, but the other was. Why was his heart beating so fast? What was happening?

“..’s plenty dangerous! H.’. …ght me off a.. …ped multiple ti..s, and he’s beaten d… ..ny exploration te….” That voice… it sent dread through him. A chilling cold that made him shudder.

“He was defen…. .imself! Why w..’. .ou believe me?” That voice was warm. It felt comforting. He needed more of it.

He could barely focus. His whole body ached. Joints and connections within him that normally caused him discomfort were agonizing. He curled his talons—the powerful grip strength he normally had was lost. Why was he so tired? His chest and ribs ached. His sides hurt, numb and sore. Why was his back leg stinging so badly?

“Maybe because he—”

“Wait, he moved...” The kind voice paused for a moment, and then returned, louder, more focused. “Are you awake? It’s Mew, you’re safe…”

A scoff was heard from across the room, opposite the kind-sounding person. Mew… Mew? Why was that so familiar? He blinked open his eyes, vision blurry, unfocused. There was something in front of him. It was very pink. It was moving? No, it was floating.

“Can you hear me?” Mew asked.

He nodded in response. He blinked his eyes, still bleary, but getting clearer. He looked around the area, trying to concentrate. Where was he? He was trying to think. Wherever he was, it was shaded, and some light came in somewhere from the side. Maybe a house?

“Hey, can you look at me, please?” The kind voice asked again.

He complied. Silvally turned to face the pink being once more, feeling oddly relaxed. He blinked his eyes harder, trying to focus. He took a deep breath, concentrating. The fuzzy image grew clearer, and the pounding in the back of his head gradually reduced. Something was forming near the top of the pink blob, it looked like…

Silver eyes met blue.

It all came rushing back. The fighting, the running, the terror, the pain. All that time scrambling and struggling, trying to avoid capture. His heart rate spiked, and pupils shrank, his eyes locked on the floating feline.

A sound off to his left drew his attention. His gaze snapped over to it, seeing none other than Artemis herself. The hybrid fox that had hunted him. Chased him. Beat him; froze him; burned him. Memories of fire dancing across his body raced to the front of his mind, his skin and fur tingling at the recollection. He stared at her, frozen, unable to think. His breathing sped up further in fast, desperate gasps.

They caught him. They had him trapped. They were going to hurt him. He needed a way out. He needed to get out. He couldn’t bring himself to pull his eyes away, his form tense, muscles shaking, adrenaline pumping through him.

“Artemis, I need you to leave,” Mew said. He barely heard her.

“What? No, I’m not going to leave you—”

The Ninetales was cut off and she let out a yelp. A pink glow surrounded Artemis and the door was thrown open with psychic powers. Artemis was tossed through the door, barely a thought given to her, and then they were slammed shut once more, just leaving the two in the room.

“Hey… hey, you’re okay. I’m here, I told you I wasn’t going to leave.” Mew floated in front of him, breaking his gaze with the doors. His eyes flicked up to meet those kind blue eyes again, and he shuddered, forcing himself to take a deep breath. “That’s it, just breathe. You’re safe, I promise.”

Silvally closed his eyes and inhaled deeply once more. Unfamiliar scents assaulted his mind. He ignored them in favour of trying to calm himself. Mew was right. She was here. There were ways out. She hadn’t lied to him. She protected him before. She was safe. He would be okay.

Mew heard every thought. She brought a paw to her mouth and covered it, taking a breath. She had to stay calm for him.

Silvally opened his eyes once again, looking at Mew, his breathing evened out. He stretched his forelimbs out and flexed his talons. He moved his back legs out as well, trying to work the soreness from his body. Gradually, he planted his front legs underneath himself and pushed, before using the back ones. He stumbled and lifted his back left leg with a wince. It still ached, and the feeling of needles digging under his skin didn’t help.

“I couldn’t heal you fully. There are some injuries you have to recover on your own, or else they won’t heal properly,” she explained. “That, and I’m not really familiar with how you… work, exactly.” Silvally looked over his shoulder to his leg and stretched it out with a wince. This was going to be annoying and hinder any escape plans. “Be careful with your ribs and your back leg. I did what I could, but give it a week or two.”

“Thank you,” Silvally ground out, wincing a little. He hated talking, it hurt. But he had to let Mew know he appreciated what she did.

The pink Pokémon smiled in sympathy, tilting her head a little as she floated closer. Her tail gave an anxious flick behind her, and she paused in place for a moment.

“I… Um… I saw what they did. What happened to you. I looked through your memories when you were asleep,” Mew continued a little faster as his eyes widened, the feline panicking a little. “I didn’t do anything, I promise! I was curious. Most crim- Most Pokémon usually give up well before taking as much damage as you did. I wanted to know why. But- But then I saw what happened, and… and I couldn’t believe it, and I had to look more and then it just kept going and I-"

“It’s okay,” Silvally interrupted her; reassuring her. It was clear she meant well, and she was being honest. At least, he thought she was. Why would she have helped him if she was trying to harm him? It wouldn’t have made sense.

“Can… Can I ask why?” Mew asked. The confused head tilt from Silvally made her clarify. “Why you didn’t give up? It was… two years of that.”

“…I didn’t know,” he replied.

Mew blinked as she came to the realization it was that simple. He didn’t know. He didn’t know that he wasn’t supposed to be attacked on sight. He didn’t know that exploration teams were supposed to help people in his situation. The whole Exploration Society would have been able to assist him in integrating into the world. He didn’t know that he would have been safe and things would have been figured out if he had just given up. It was the fact he kept running and remained strong that led to this point. He didn’t know that his persistence was only hurting him. He didn’t know he was supposed to be taken care of, safe, and loved.

Mew bit her paw softly, trying to focus. Her eyes watered as she talked to the chimera Pokémon. Things could have been so different if anyone else had encountered Silvally first. Instead…

“Can I hug you?” Mew asked suddenly, her tail giving a nervous quiver. Silvally tilted his head a little, his ears twitching a little in confusion. “I’m… Physical contact is comforting, to me at least, when I’m sad or scared. I was wondering if I could share that.”

Silvally blinked at her and pondered for a moment. Should he let her closer? She seemed trustworthy. And… If he looked closely, she looked really upset. Why was she blinking back tears? Did he do that to her? If he did, it was only natural he should try to comfort her, right?

With his mind made up, he nodded and stepped closer to the pink feline. She made a happy little sound and moved forward a touch too quickly for his liking, but he stood still. The small Pokémon hugged around his shoulder and neck firmly, her tail curling around one of his forelegs.

This was indescribably uncomfortable. She was too close. It made his skin crawl. He tensed a little from the touch, the unfamiliar feeling worrying him. He forced himself to stay still for her, taking a deep breath, ignoring how wrong it all was. He felt Mew holding him close, her face nuzzling into his fur. Something warm soaked into his fur. Was she… crying against him?

Silvally held still, accepting his task. He owed it to her after all, even if he disliked how uncomfortable it made him. He glanced down as he heard a sound coming from the pink creature, a high-pitched purring noise rolling from her throat as she clung to him, her tiny paws very gently brushing his fur.

“Thank you~” Mew sighed happily, nuzzling in a little closer.

After what felt entirely too long, Mew pulled away, and Silvally relaxed. The pink Pokémon floated back and brought up a paw to wipe her eyes. She sniffled a little and gave an embarrassed laugh.

“Haha, I’m sorry! I’m being silly right now,” Mew hummed and pulled away, looking much more relaxed. Silvally was glad about that. Mew twirled around in a little circle in front of him, and floated around the room, watching him.

Silvally followed her with his eyes for a moment, unsure how to respond to what was happening. He eventually glanced to the side and spotted a window. He intentionally ignored looking at the stone walls and roof around him, ignoring the crushing, too-close rocks squeezing down on him. The relentless weight as he tried to shift the impossible mass. He was trapped. He couldn’t get out. Freedom was right there and he couldn’t move. He was—

He blinked, shaking his head lightly and forcing the memories away. He limped forward to look out the window. After a brief moment, he pushed his nose against it and swung the small window open, getting some much-needed fresh air into the room.

He didn’t need to turn to know Mew floated up beside him, listening to her small breaths as she drew closer. Silvally took a deep breath of the ocean air, and sighed, keeping himself as relaxed as he could.

“Where are we?” He finally asked. Silvally was dreading the answer he knew was coming. This close to the ocean? With the direction the sun was? It could only be—

“Treasure Town,” Mew admitted hesitantly. She flicked her tail around and held it in front of herself, squeezing at it nervously. “We’re on the lowest floor of the Wigglytuff Guild right now…”

Silvally winced, closed his eyes, and took another breath. His gaze shifted to the window. He was too big to even entertain the thought of jumping out of it, and he couldn’t tell how far down the drop was. With his damaged leg, it would have been a struggle anyway.

“Oh, don’t worry at all! I’ll explain and we can get everything sorted out, and you should be all good!” Mew could tell he was nervous, one wrong sentence from panicking. “I’ve got your back, big guy!”

“…Why?” Silvally turned from the open window and faced the pink Pokémon, silver eyes gazing at her. “Why are you—” He cut himself off there, grimacing, bringing a talon up to rub at his neck for a moment. “…helping me?”

“Why wouldn’t I?” She replied simply. “I just want to help people.”

That reply stunned him. It just… didn’t make sense. Everything he’s experienced since waking up told him the opposite. Feral Pokémon were dangerous, and the Aware ones were even more so. They were smart, cunning, and they weren’t just hungry or defensive, they were cruel. This was… far too different from what he knew. It sent his mind reeling.

Silvally blinked for a moment, just watching the pink Pokémon before him. She glanced at him and then turned her attention to the sea, watching through the window. She hummed softly, her tail giving a little flick. Mew made a little sound, pondering for a moment, debating on whether or not to ask Silvally something.

The duo were interrupted by a firm knocking on the door.

“Miss Mew? It’s Chatot, I’m coming in!” A rather musical voice sounded from the other side of the entrance.

Silvally stepped back away from the door, turning to face it, while Mew floated in front of him. He greatly appreciated the extra barrier between himself and the world on the other side of that door. He was dreading to find out what came next. Mew was positive he would be fine. Silvally severely doubted that.

The door opened up, the large round half-circle swinging open. Silvally looked over the colourful bird Pokémon. The hallway behind him was packed to the brim with strong-looking Pokémon. He spotted the loud purple one, the tunneling one, and the buck-toothed one. There was a round pink Pokémon holding a large apple, some kind of flower creature, and several others as well. Artemis was there too, glaring daggers at him in the brief moment the door was open.

Silvally stepped back in fear, wincing as his injured leg bumped into the wall behind him. He glanced back at his leg, and then to the closed door again. He found his talons curling and digging into the floor beneath himself in anxiety. For a moment, he glanced at the window.

If he tried hard enough, he could probably break the stone around the edge and force his way out. His chest felt tight and he could feel his body responding, energies flowing through him. It would be easy, he just had to break the rock.

“Hey, are you okay? Silvally?”

He snapped his attention back to Mew. When had she gotten so close? His throat felt tight; his chest hurt; his body was tense, and breathing was difficult. He took a shuddering breath, clenched his jaw, and closed his eyes. He was okay. He was safe.

Probably…

“Yes,” he spoke. At her concerned expression, he elaborated. “Nervous.”

“I certainly hope so! You’ve been on the run for a long time! Why, the number of-” Chatot’s rather unfortunate blurt of speech was interrupted by a chilling glare leveled at him by Mew. Her narrowed eyes caused the bird’s beak to snap closed with a clack. She stared at Chatot for a little longer, and then turned around to face Silvally, her tail giving a little flick behind her.

“Hey, don’t worry about them. I’m sure they’re just curious!” Mew purred. “You’re pretty unique, definitely wouldn’t have seen a Pokémon like you before!”

“That’s putting it lightly,” Chatot muttered, ruining the atmosphere Mew was trying to build. “Regardless, Officer Metagross has been waiting for you for a while now. He’s slightly upset about the lack of proper protocol when you teleported everyone to the guild!” He fluttered his wings in exasperation.

“I already told them, I wasn’t-“ Mew paused, and huffed. “He needed to sleep and recover. But now everyone’s okay and awake, and things will get sorted out!” Mew flitted back and forth a little, keeping up her cheery attitude.

Silvally could tell it was forced.

“…Yes, indeed,” Chatot said, glancing over at Silvally once more. “Anyways! You’re needed at the station. We have several Pokémon to escort you there. For safety.”

Silvally was fairly certain it wasn’t for his own safety. There went his plans of bolting as soon as he could. He’d have to fight through panic and stress and hope no one decided it would be a good idea to just put him down on the spot. He quivered in place a little, struggling to keep his breathing even. Silvally could feel his body start to go numb from the anticipation.

Mew, the absolute sweetheart, heard his thoughts, and turned around, floating straight into Silvally’s view once more.

“Hey, it’s okay. You’ll be safe, I promise. I’ve got ya…” Mew purred out reassuringly, twirling in the air for a moment. “No one’s gonna get ya through me! I’m far too scary!”

Mew’s attempts at lightening the mood did little. She was clearly nervous, though not nearly as much as Silvally was. He was practically shaking with adrenaline, only able to nod along to her words, staring past Mew and at something. She folded her ears back and held her tail nervously.

“I’m speaking directly to you now. Just focus on me, okay? If anything happens…” Mew paused for a moment, tightening her grip on her tail. “I’ll teleport us both out if anything happens, okay?”

Silvally merely flicked his eyes to her, nodding the slightest amount. The motion went unseen by Chatot as the bird Pokémon turned and opened the doors again. Silvally’s breath caught in his throat, eyes looking at, and then past, the group of Pokémon in the hall, waiting for him. Some were curious, some concerned. One was absolutely spiteful, with Artemis watching his movements closely.

Someone said something. What did he miss?

He could hear Mew saying something to him, but he didn’t catch what it was. Instead, he raised a foreleg and planted it down gingerly, afraid that any wrong move would set them off. Silvally followed along behind the floating form of Mew, his body moving on auto-pilot. His head was a mess of thoughts, one slamming into being, and then the next. He couldn’t think.

His whole body was numb. Was he being frozen again? No, he didn’t hurt, he just couldn’t feel anything. Was he breathing? He wasn’t gasping for air, maybe he was. His movements were slow, forced, every step a battle of wills as he moved forward.

They walked through the hallway, and Artemis fell into step behind them. Silvally felt his hackles raise, his skin crawling at the feeling of having that dangerous foe immediately behind him. He couldn’t defend himself. He kept trying to concentrate on Mew’s words.

He was safe. She would make sure he was safe. He wouldn’t need to hurt again.

Step after step. More fell into line behind or beside him, lead at the front by Chatot and Wigglytuff. Mew floated in front of him, just to the right.

When had they gotten outside? He didn’t even remember climbing those steps. The sun was bright, beating down on him harshly. He continued to limp forward, his senses all screaming at him that he was in danger. He forced himself to stay calm. They could fix this. Mew was sure they would understand. They were just escorting him there. It would be okay.

“Mommy, who is that?”

“Get inside, Hun...”

Silvally flicked his gaze to the side, watching a mother and child duck out of sight.

“…Oh Arceus, what is that?”

“It’s the criminal. That one that’s been wanted for ages.”

“He’s scary looking…”

The whispers were so loud. Why could he hear them all? His senses were all overwhelmed. Sights were too vibrant and colourful. The town had far too many scents floating through the air, baked goods, sweat, flowers, blood. He could hear every whisper as if they were right beside him, instead of halfway down the street.

He stumbled in his step, and everyone around him immediately tensed. He could feel the heat of something behind him. One wrong move would be all it would take to set them off. He steadied himself and limped forward, setting one foot in front of the other, forcing himself onward.

“They need to lock him away for a long time...”

“Is he that strong? Why are there so many high-ranked explorers?”

“What’s wrong with it?”

“Is that the bad Pokémon Miss Artemis was chasing?”

“He doesn’t look so scary!”

“Shh, he might hear you!”

“Good riddance, one less outlaw terrorizing the land.”

It was too much. What did he do wrong? He just wanted to be left alone. Why did they hate him? He could feel their eyes on him. Hundreds and hundreds of eyes. There were too many Pokémon! They wanted to end him, he was sure of it. Why?

Why wouldn’t they leave him alone?

“Hey, you’re doing amazing. We’re almost there.” Mew’s voice broke through the haze of thoughts, a single bright light in the swirling chaos of his mind. He latched onto it tightly.

Mew was here. He was safe. He would be okay. She would help.

One foot in front of the other. Careful of the back leg. Remember to take deep breaths. Don’t move too suddenly. He would be okay. He was safe.

A tall building loomed over the group, casting a shadow over the assembled Pokémon. Silvally looked up at the imposing structure of stone and metal, his heart sinking further. This was unfamiliar. This was wrong. This reminded him of when he woke up. This unnatural shaping.

He forced himself onward. The march continued. He felt like he was watching himself from the outside as if he didn’t have control of his actions. He just couldn’t feel his movements properly—his adrenaline was keeping him numb.

 It would be over soon. Just cooperate, then he would be free.

~{O}~{O}~{O}~

Mew hated this. This wasn’t at all how it was supposed to go. She had brought in criminals before with Wiggles – Wigglytuff – and it had been similar. This though… It felt like a public criminal display. That’s not how it should be. She had explained everything to Artemis and Wigglytuff when she had teleported them to the Guild. It should have been a simple walk to wherever they needed to go.

Instead, they had multiple experienced guild graduates escorting poor Silvally through the halls of the police station. This wasn’t right. The poor thing was terrified, she could feel the terror and panic running through him. The fact that he kept moving along, forcing himself onward… He was far stronger than she. She had never in her life been as scared as she was feeling from Silvally at this moment, and it was making her stomach curl.

She focused, keeping a thin psychic barrier around the Pokémon in the middle of the group. That should be just thick enough to ward off an attack and give her enough time to teleport them away from the rest of the group if necessary.

Mew floated along, glancing back over her shoulder every once in a while, checking on Silvally. He still had that unfocused stare, as if he wasn’t quite processing everything that was happening.

The group was led by a large metallic Pokémon named Metagross, the powerful steel and psychic-type floating above the ground. Wigglytuff, Silvally, Mew, and Artemis were all led into the single large room, while the rest of the escort party stayed outside. Artemis stood guard at the door, her tails fanning out to block it. Mew sent her a glare.

Wigglytuff wandered his way over to the corner of the room, while Mew floated along beside Silvally, hovering beside him as he sat down on a cushion. Mew didn’t miss the wince when he sat.

“GREETINGS. MY NAME IS OFFICER METAGROSS. THIS WILL BE A PSYCHIC EVALUATION AND MIND READING TO DETERMINE GUILT AND SEVERITY OF CRIMES COMMITTED. WHAT IS YOUR NAME?” The voice from the Pokémon before them was loud, and grating. Not at all soft like Mew tried to be when speaking.

“…Silvally, I think.” He said softly, his voice making him grimace.

“MEMORY LOSS HAD BEEN MENTIONED BY WIGGLYTUFF PRIOR TO THE EVALUATION. ANSWER IS SUFFICIENT. WHY ARE YOU HERE?”

“I’m not sure,” he managed. He raised a talon to rub at his throat. A scoff was heard to the side. Mew turned to glance at Artemis, the fox Pokémon shaking her head.

“He’s here because of the assaults on dozens of exploration teams, and—”

“MISS ARTEMIS, PLEASE BE SILENT.” A pause.  “THANK YOU. SILVALLY, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WISH TO CONFESS TO PRIOR TO THE EVALUATION?”

The Pokémon shook his head. Mew frowned. She had a bad feeling, but she couldn’t place it. Maybe it was residual nervousness from Silvally. The poor Pokémon was practically vibrating, even away from all those eyes.

“VERY WELL. THE EVALUATION WILL COMMENCE. PLEASE DO NOT RESIST.”

Mew winced a little as a wave of psychic pressure rolled off of the powerful Pokémon, before it condensed, forming into a ball centred around Silvally. Immediately, he tensed, his talons digging into the cushion beneath him, feathers spilling out and onto the ground. He clenched his jaw. Mew could hear the sound of teeth and metal grinding together.

A pained grunt escaped the Pokémon, much to Mew’s displeasure. From what she had been told, he was reliving every moment that fell into a specific set of categories. These categories were usually determined by what the criminal was accused of, so that way someone couldn’t be charged with something unrelated.

Mew glanced over at Artemis. She was watching dispassionately, observing the whole thing with a neutral look. She then glanced over to Wigglytuff. He looked… concerned. Intense was a way to put it. He held his Perfect Apple still before him, not even sparing it a glance.

Silvally gasped, his crest flaring out, briefly changing a trio of colours as his body spasmed. Mew curled her tail around and squeezed it in her paws, anxiously watching. She frowned harder as she watched blood start to leak from Silvally’s nose, the intense psychic presence forcing its way through his head.

Suddenly, it was over. The psychic pressure bearing down on the room vanished, and Silvally staggered, eyes rolling back a little. Mew immediately leaned in to help him, her little paws pressing against his shoulder. She didn’t miss how he recoiled from the touch, tensing up. She withdrew when she was certain he wouldn’t fall.

“EVALUATION COMPLETE. 95% OF ACCUSED CRIMES WERE NOT INTENTIONALLY COMMITTED. OF THE 5% THAT WERE, MEMORY LOSS AND SITUATIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES HAVE BEEN TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT.”

Mew narrowed her eyes. This wasn’t right. What was happening?

“Only five percent? Are you serious?” Artemis muttered from the side, flicking her tails angrily.

“SILENCE.” A pause. “THANK YOU. ASSAULT ON 57 EXPLORATION TEAMS HAS BEEN COMMITTED. THEFT OF EXPLORATION SOCIETY PROPERTY HAS BEEN COMMITTED. EVASION OF CAPTURE BY EXPLORATION TEAMS FOR 713 DAYS HAS BEEN COMMITTED.”

“Wait, hold on—” Mew was interrupted.

“PLEASE BE SILENT.”

…

“THANK YOU. WITH ALL CIRCUMSTANCES ACCOUNTED FOR, SILVALLY IS SENTENCED TO 3 MONTHS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE. MANDATORY REPORTS TO THE WIGGLYTUFF GUILD OR EXPLORATION SOCIETY BRANCH OF CHOICE WILL BE COMPLETED DAILY.”

“What!? Hang on, this isn’t right!” Mew protested, floating forward toward the Metagross. “He didn’t know!”

“That’s it!?” Artemis barked, stepping forward. “You just said he did all of that, and that’s what he gets? I’ve been chasing him for months! I know how dangerous he is!”

“BE SILENT.” A pause. “THANK YOU. MEW, YOU ARE NOT A MEMBER OF THE EXPLORATION SOCIETY. WE APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS TOWARD THE OUTLAW’S CAPTURE AND YOU WILL BE REWARDED. YOUR OPINION ON THE PUNISHMENT IS INVALID.”

“You…” Mew stopped herself, clenching her jaw. Her tail lashed angrily behind her, snapping through the air like a whip.

“ARTEMIS, YOU ARE A MEMBER OF THE EXPLORATION SOCIETY. WE APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS TOWARD THE OUTLAW’S CAPTURE AND YOU WILL BE REWARDED. YOUR OPINION ON THE PUNISHMENT HAS BEEN TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION. THE OUTLAW WILL HAVE HIS SENTENCE EXTENDED TO 4 MONTHS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE.”

“Wha- No! That’s not what I meant!” Artemis stepped forward, her tails flicking angrily behind her, little wisps of frost and heat rolling off of them. “He’s a four-star criminal! You need to lock him up! Or… or ship him to another continent! He can’t stay here!”

“PLEASE BE SILENT.”

“No! Out of all the Exploration Teams, I’ve been able to capture him!” She was getting worked up, her claws digging into the stone beneath her. “You’re putting too many people in danger! If he gets loose or attacks the—”

“BE SILENT.”

“—townspeople, it would take multiple groups to stop him if I’m not here! I can’t just sit by and let this happen—”

“SILENCE.”

“—I’ll drag his ass to jail myself. I’ll knock him out and—”

A powerful psychic wave flattened the Ninetales to the ground. She growled and forced herself to her feet through the energy. She took one step forward, and then another, flames licking at her jaws in anger. The psychic move grew stronger still, slamming the fox back against the wall and pinning her there.

“DISORDERLY CONDUCT WILL NOT BE TOLERATED. THREATENING TO DISRUPT A SENTENCE HAS BEEN COMMITTED. THREATENING TO CAUSE HARM TO ANOTHER CIVILIZED POKÉMON HAS BEEN COMMITTED. ARTEMIS WILL BE CHARGED WITH—”

“Friend Metagross, could I speak with you?” Wigglytuff interrupted.

The tension in the room shattered, and the Guildmaster stepped forward without hesitation. He made his way up to Metagross, humming the whole way. Wigglytuff leaned in, whispered to the Officer, and then pointed at the Pokémon in the room. A moment went by, and then Wigglytuff returned to his spot in the corner, a satisfied smile on his face. He began toying with the Perfect Apple in his hands, calm and collected once more.

“GUILDMASTER WIGGLYTUFF IS A MEMBER OF THE EXPLORATION SOCIETY. YOUR OPINION ON THE PUNISHMENTS HAS BEEN TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION.”

“Wiggles… what did you say?” Mew was feeling uneasy.

“I’m making sure our friends are taken care of,” he replied happily, giving the legendary a quick glance. “Don’t worry friend Mew, all will be well!” His reply didn’t ease her concern.

“WITH EVERYTHING TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION, A SENTENCING CHANGE HAS BEEN MADE. SILVALLY WILL BE REDUCED TO 3 MONTHS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE. ARTEMIS WILL BE SENTENCED TO 3 MONTHS OF SPECIALIZED COMMUNITY SERVICE.”

“What!?” The hybrid fox strained, steam rolling off her body as she half struggled against the psychic hold. She didn’t want to break out and make things worse, but she continued to protest.

“ARTEMIS, TAKING YOUR COMMENTS INTO CONSIDERATION, YOU ARE CORRECT. SILVALLY IS A SIGNIFICANT DANGER TO RESIDENTS WHEN THERE IS NOT A CAPABLE TEAM OR INDIVIDUAL NEARBY.  TAKING GUILDMASTER WIGGLYTUFF’S OPINION INTO CONSIDERATION—”

“Wiggles, what did you do?” Mew asked, turning to face the Guildmaster.

“Just watch…” Wigglytuff sounded far too giddy and proud of himself.

“—ARTEMIS WILL BE ASSIGNED TO OBSERVE SILVALLY. ARTEMIS WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR SILVALLY’S INTEGRATION INTO SOCIETY. ARTEMIS WILL BE TASKED TO VERIFY COMMUNITY SERVICE WORK, AND REPORT IT TO THE WIGGLYTUFF GUILD OR EXPLORATION SOCIETY BRANCH OF CHOICE.”

“What!?” Mew shouted.

“What!?” Both Silvally and Artemis snapped their attention to the Officer.

This was a terrible idea! There was no way things would work out well for anyone involved. Neither Artemis or Mew spoke that fact aloud, for fear of upsetting the absurdly powerful and emotional Guildmaster.

“EVALUATION COMPLETE. PLEASE EXIT THE PREMISES. HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY.”

~{O}~{O}~{O}~

Silvally stumbled along behind Mew, his mind reeling. He was stuck here, surrounded by dangerous Pokémon. He had to help them? How was he going to do that?

He blinked, trying to breathe deeper, huffing around the heavy helmet he was carrying in his jaws. He was relieved to have at least gotten that back, even if he no longer had the bag to carry it in.

“Silvally, I’m so sorry. I-I thought they would-” Mew paused, floating around quickly, squeezing her tail with anxiety. “They should have… I just. Why? I don’t understand! You didn’t-” Silvally dropped his helmet on the ground, the object hitting with a heavy thud.

“It’s okay. Thank you,” he managed. Recalling her preference for physical contact, he stepped forward. Silvally hesitated for a long moment and forced down his discomfort, then pressed his muzzle into her middle. He held himself there, resisting the urge to recoil as Mew slid down and hugged his neck tightly, her paws gently brushing him.

While there, Silvally refused to look at the fuming Artemis. The fox was furious, steam rolling off of her in waves, leaving behind molten pawprints that made him cringe. She stormed past, not even giving the Guildmaster, Legendary, or Outlaw a glance, making her way toward the guild.

“Wiggles, I don’t understand. You know he’s innocent! And… Artemis… She hurt him so much! Why would you-” Mew was cut off by the larger pink Pokémon.

“Don’t worry, Mew-Mew, it will be okay! We’ll have new friends and old friends working together!” Wigglytuff cheered, twirling around. “Everyone will be happy and have fun!”

This was going to end poorly for all involved, Mew was certain of it.

Mew continued clinging to Silvally’s neck, able to feel his anxiously high heart rate and quick breaths. He was forcing himself to relax for her. He would be okay.

Probably.

He was just surrounded by Pokémon that hated him and wanted him gone. Forced to partner up with an Explorer that had burned, frozen, hurt, and pursued him for months. Working for a place that had sent people to attack him repeatedly. He couldn’t escape. He was stuck.

It was better than dying, at least. Silvally was relieved that wasn’t an option. He had no doubt that Mew would have teleported him out and helped him if that were the case. Maybe she’d have gone on the run with him? He wouldn’t expect that, but having a friend with him out there would have been tolerable.

Mew drifted away from him, her tail flicking behind her as she struggled.

“Silvally… I… I don’t know what to do. I can’t take you away, then they’ll come after me. But this isn’t fair to you! I-I promised to keep you safe!”

“You did. I’m alive,” Silvally ground out, taking a breath, and looked up at the blue eyes of Mew. He’s had to live running from these teams for a long time. He knew how they worked, to an extent. He fought off many explorers, he would be fine.

He hoped.

His stress spiked when he thought about those ruby eyes following him everywhere, waiting for him to slip up. Silvally could already imagine the burning hot flames licking his skin, searing his scales. That painful ice freezing him into place, leaving him vulnerable to attacks even as the cold seeped into his bones. Running, hiding, fighting, struggling, panicking, screaming-

He blinked, forcing himself out of those memories. He tried to reason with himself.

Artemis was supposed to help him, not hurt him. She couldn’t hurt him—he was still safe. He would have food, shelter, and something to distract him. It was only for three months. He would be fine, he’d spent two years on his own, three months was nothing in comparison.

Then he could leave, and never see them again.

It was ironic, in a way. He had spent months running from Artemis. Now he had to work alongside her. That thought alone caused his chest to clench, and throat to tighten.

“I… I’ll go talk with her. I’m sure I can talk some sense into her!” Mew nodded to herself. “Just stay near Wigglytuff, he’s a good friend!” She then popped out of existence, leaving Silvally alone with the Guildmaster.

Silvally glanced to the larger pink Pokémon who continued to gaze at him. Maybe through him? He hated being stared at. Silvally leaned down, gripped the obscenely heavy helmet in his jaws, and hefted it up with a grunt of effort.

The two walked through Treasure Town, back toward the Guild, Wigglytuff humming along the whole time. They ignored all the eyes on the duo, though the feeling of being watched made Silvally’s skin crawl. He glanced over at Wigglytuff, which the Guildmaster caught.

“Don’t worry, new friend! Everything will be fine. We’ll all have fun!” Wigglytuff cheered.

Silvally severely doubted that.

~{O}~{O}~{O}~

“Artemis, please, listen to me!” Mew floated along beside Artemis, who was stubbornly ignoring her. “Silvally is a good Pokémon. He’s… he’s hurt, and scared, and—”

“I don’t care,” the Ninetales replied, flicking her tails dismissively.

“What? Artemis! You’re an explorer, you’re supposed to help people! Silvally—”

“I do help people! I chase down outlaws and put them away so no one else gets hurt. I drag Pokémon who get in over their heads out of dungeons. I explore new areas so no one else gets lost or dies to a sudden horde of aggressive ferals. I. Help. Pokémon,” she ground out, snapping at Mew. “He’s not a Pokémon. He’s… some sort of freak! He’s not normal. He’s a criminal and he should be behind bars.”

“Oh, for Arceus’ sake! What is your problem?” Mew growled out. She floated in front of Artemis and cut her off. “I told you exactly what happened. I’m not lying!”

“I don’t care. He’s dangerous,” Artemis replied. The duo came to a stop at the crossroads between the beach, the Guild, the wilderness, and Treasure Town. “Outlaws and criminals need to be locked up so they don’t hurt innocent Pokémon. He’s been out there for two years evading capture. How do you know he hasn’t learned to block his thoughts, or… or used dark-type energy to trick you?”

“And what if you’re wrong? What if you’re condemning an innocent Pokémon just because you think you’re right?” Mew growled, and glared at Artemis. “Is it worth the risk? Jailing someone whom both myself and Officer Metagross cleared?”

“It’s always worth the risk if it means keeping an innocent Pokémon safe,” she replied cooly. “Even at the expense of someone who might be innocent. The chance isn’t worth it.”

The two stared at one another, searching, looking for something to convince the other.

“…What happened to you, Artemis? You were such a sweet, happy little Vulpix.” Mew finally asked, breaking her gaze away from the Ninetales.

“Things change, Mew. It’s been a few years. I don’t… After Mom and Dad-“ Artemis stopped and looked away. “No, it doesn’t matter.”

The two stood in silence for a moment, turning their gaze back down the path. They watched Wigglytuff walk alongside Silvally, the Guildmaster chattering away happily about any number of things that would gain his attention.

Mew kept her gaze on Silvally, bringing her tail around and squeezing it anxiously. She watched him limp forward, off balance while carrying that obscenely heavy helmet, but looked unbothered. He was merely staring ahead, half listening to Wigglytuff, likely in deep thought.

“Artemis… can you give him a chance? For me?” Mew turned around, floating down lower to face the fox. “I know it’s been a while, but… I don’t think he’s a bad Pokémon. I know he’s not. He’s alone, and… and confused, and scared. He has no one right now, and if I can’t be around to help him…”

The Ninetales turned to regard the approaching duo, ruby eyes gazing at them critically. She hummed in thought and turned to face Mew, looking at her intently. The Legendary seemed genuinely worried. There was no faking those anxious mannerisms, or the way she had floated forward when watching Silvally stumble.

His situation though… Alone. Scared. Left scrambling to survive in a world that was cruel to him. It brought back all sorts of unpleasant memories for Artemis. If Mew was being honest about what she told them all…

Artemis growled in the back of her throat, claws digging into the road beneath her paws in frustration. Her tails flicked angrily, and she let out a huff, steam rolling from her jaws. She glared at the approaching Silvally, then the Guildmaster, before she looked back at Mew.

“…gah. I don’t—Fine! Fine. I’ll give him a chance,” Artemis growled, turning away and scowling at the dirt below. “One chance. After that…” She let the unsaid threat linger.

“Thank you, Artemis. Really, thank you…” Mew floated forward for a moment, unsure, then continued, wrapped her little arms around Artemis’s neck, and nuzzled into her fluff. The fox frowned, a conflicted expression crossing her face, but curled her tails around to hug the much smaller mew in return.

“…Would you mind if I visited occasionally? I realize it’s been a while since I’ve seen you, and with everything that happened… Well, I don’t want this to be the last we talk for a while…” Mew giggled, pulling away from Artemis and looking at her with big blue eyes.

“I’d love that. Let’s just… Keep away from particular topics.”

“Of course!” The Pokémon flitted around, far more energetic and relaxed than earlier. “It really is nice to see you again. I missed you,” she purred.

“I missed you as well,” Artemis replied. She hesitated, then shifted her head to the side, bumping into Mew gently.

After their brief moment, Artemis backed away from the crossroads, sitting down near the water well along the path up to the Guild. She watched the Guildmaster and Outlaw—Silvally, approach. The two pink Pokémon began conversing with one another, while the chimera limped his way past them.

Artemis’s eyes were locked on Silvally, who was staring out at the wilderness to the east, his front talons digging into the dirt below anxiously.

Artemis huffed. One chance. That’s all she needed to give. If he messed up, she would drag him back to Metagross by force, and tell him he wasn’t fit to remain free. It was just for three months anyways. It would be simple. She could do this, she was The Artemis after all! She just had to get an Outlaw that’s been on the run for two years integrated with society and learn how to be a Civilized Pokémon. Easy!

…

Fuck. This was going to be excruciating. She could already imagine the headaches that this mess of a creature would cause her. All the annoying little habits and ideas he probably picked up while out in the wilderness…

Wigglytuff and Mew had finished their conversation, and the Guildmaster made his way toward the guild.

Silvally eyed Artemis as the two approached, following close behind Mew. The duo passed, and Artemis fell into step behind them. She didn’t miss how Silvally’s hackles raised when she slid into place behind him, or the way his muscles tensed.

Artemis huffed.

This was going to be a lot of work.

~{O}~{O}~{O}~

“Wh-what!? I’m sorry, Guildmaster, but I must vehemently oppose!” Chatot fluttered in place within Wigglytuff’s office, pacing back and forth, very obviously ignoring Mew, Artemis, and Silvally.

“It’s already been done, Chatot. Don’t worry, all our friends will get along!” Wigglytuff hummed and took bite of his apple. He clearly didn’t care for opposition to his amazing plan. After all, no one else spoke up about it! It couldn’t be that bad!

“But it’s not too late to change it! According to the-”

“Chatot…” Artemis huffed.

“-can absolutely deny the Pokémon being rehabilitated from entering or participating within the guild. Furthermore, it’s unprecedented. I know-”

“Chatot,” Artemis snapped a little louder.

“-outlaws before, but a four-star criminal? Guildmaster, you must be-”

Artemis gave a little growl and curled one of her tails around. Silvally stepped to the side in concern, and Mew floated between the two as the temperature around Artemis dropped. A little ball of snow started forming at the end of one of her tails. The snowball built up further, then she pulled her tail back and lobbed the ball at the bird.

“-to even consider a four- Squawk!” Chatot was caught in the beak with a snowball, and spun in a tight circle from the impact. The bird blinked and used a wing to brush the snow away, before he whipped around to face Artemis, hopping angrily in place. Chatot opened his beak to let loose a tirade when he was interrupted once more.

“Chatot, friend, it’s already done! My mind is all made up!” Wigglytuff smiled as he looked upon the group in front of him. “Just explain what they need to do! I’m sure our friends must be tired after such a long day.”

Chatot huffed and glared at Silvally, looking at him hard enough to set him alight if such a thing were possible. Finally, Chatot conceded and turned, pacing in the middle of the room with small hops.

“…Very well. Community service is just like it sounds. You are to serve the community through various actions and methods. Such can include assisting in construction or volunteering at a business. However, the most common method is to simply work by taking missions at the guild. Take jobs from the board, complete tasks, and you will have put time toward your service. Taking extra tasks will not shorten your remaining time, so do not overwork yourself.

“As you are currently being punished,” Chatot made sure to glare at Silvally for that emphasis, “your share of any rewards will be going to Artemis, as she is your caretaker and cannot take missions she normally could. This is the guild’s way of paying her for her work. I expect to hear zero complaints, am I understood?”

Silvally just blinked, and stared at the oddly aggressive bird, completely neutral. Mew was fuming at this information, her tail lashing angrily behind her. Artemis for her part looked a little disappointed at not being able to do her normal work. Chatot merely stared at the former outlaw, who was showing no response, just standing there and taking in everything.

“…Very good.” The bird hopped in place for a moment, and fluttered his wings, before continuing. “The guild will be giving you a bed to sleep in and dinners, everything else must be supplied by yourselves. You may choose to live elsewhere if Artemis decides that would be in the best interest of completing tasks and community service.”

Artemis vehemently shook her head at this, eyes narrowing a little. She actually heated up in anger, an orange glow flickering in the back of her mouth. There was absolutely no way she would be letting that freak step foot in her home. Somehow, she refrained from speaking anything aloud, though Mew still caught those angry thoughts fickering by.

“Very well. Artemis, a few things to note for you. You have the final authority on what missions will be taken, or tasks completed, and must report progress to myself or the Guildmaster every night. You are his caretaker and are responsible for getting him to… acceptable levels of accommodation to societal rules. If you are found to be abusing him, you will be sentenced to prison and the Outlaw will have a new caretaker and mentor. It is in your best interest to make sure he’s healthy and capable of adapting to society. Just don’t seriously injure him and things will be okay! Hehe!” The bird whistled, somehow finding it amusing. His joke fell flat among everyone else in the room.

“I can do that. As long as he cooperates,” Artemis replied. She turned her head to give a pointed stare at Silvally, only to meet Mew’s frown instead. “You don’t have to worry.”

“Good! Well then, that should be all! The Outlaw will be provided with a Treasure Bag of his own, separate from your own of course, Artemis. As the mentor and caretaker, you may go through the bag and remove anything that may be too dangerous or may cause issues down the road. He will not be given a badge or official Exploration Team designation as he is performing community service. Yours will be used for rewards and the badge association, Artemis.”

“This seems excessive. He doesn’t even get any private possessions?” Mew asked with a frown. “What happens if, let’s say… a mentor decides to punish someone by taking all the food items from their bag?” The feline glanced at Artemis, and then added, “Not that I think you would! Just… wondering is all.”

“Any complaints and issues with the situation should be mentioned to myself and the Guildmaster, and we shall tend to it as we see fit,” Chatot replied. “Additionally, Mew, you nor any other Pokémon outside of the Exploration Society may assist or else credit will go to you instead of the Outlaw. Anything else?”

Silvally shook his head. Mew pursed her lips but didn’t add anything, instead floating a little closer to the chimera. Artemis declined anything extra as well, merely wanting the whole thing to be over.

She really didn’t care. The sooner they got started, the sooner this nightmare would be over.

Thus concluded their meeting and little information session. Mew was visibly agitated with the whole thing, her tail flicking angrily at the unfair absurdity of the situation. This felt unnecessary and punishing to the extreme!

Silvally didn’t complain, or say anything. He just accepted the Treasure Bag from Wigglytuff, and allowed Mew to carry it for him, while he hefted up his old helmet in his jaws with a grunt.

Artemis followed along behind Silvally and Mew as they were led to their room. In an ironic twist of fate, Artemis found that she and Silvally were sharing the same room that her adoptive parents had been using during their stay at the guild. The fox frowned. It almost felt disrespectful to allow the former criminal in the same space her parents had used. It was wrong.

Silvally walked into the room, looking around at the stone walls with trepidation, before continuing on. He took the bed furthest from the door, and dropped his helmet to the floor with a thud, the impact travelling through the stone.

Mew hummed and set the Treasure Bag down beside it, before turning to face the two unwilling partners. She was visibly conflicted, and flicked her tail around to hold it, unsure of where to start.

“I… I’m sorry things didn’t go as planned, Artemis, Silvally,” Mew apologized, and squeezed her tail anxiously. “I can’t help, like Chatot said. But! I will absolutely visit as often as I can. I can totally manage once a week! Then you both get to see my pretty pink face,” she purred playfully, looking between the two.

“Thank you,” Silvally said, “for everything.” He refused to look at the fox to his right, instead staying focused on Mew. He tilted his head slightly, stepped forward, and hesitantly pushed his muzzle toward her.

“Aww! You’re quite welcome!” Mew hummed and leaned down to hug him and curled her tail around one of his front legs. She tried her best to ignore the shudder of discomfort that ran through Silvally from the contact. “I couldn’t just let ya go about it all alone, big guy!”

“It was nice to see you again, Mew,” Artemis spoke up. The fox noticed how Silvally tensed when she spoke. Mew hadn’t seen it, too busy moving forward to push herself into the fox’s neck floof now, nuzzling in close. “Please, feel free to visit whenever you’d like, I would love to talk with you more. Maybe we could… swap stories?”

“Of course we can, silly!” Mew purred. She pulled away from Artemis and floated back, looking at the two, curling her tail around to hold it again. “I will absolutely come see you both soon! Just… please take care of each other? For me? I’d babysit if I could!”

Artemis pretended not to notice the pointed look Mew sent her way, though couldn’t help the annoyed flicking of her tails. Silvally nodded in response, and took a deep breath, resigning himself to his fate.

“It’s getting late. I do have to go…” Mew paused and floated there for a moment, looking as if she were about to say something else. She seemed to have thought better of it, shook her head, and put on a big smile. “I’ll see you two soon! Have a wonderful night!”

The Legendary Pokémon disappeared with a pop, leaving the two alone in the slowly darkening room. The sun was starting to settle on the horizon and cast the world into a soft, orange glow.

Silvally turned to face the window, stepping closer, controlling his breathing as he looked out at the forest. Anything to distract him from the terrifying fox in the same room as him. He was thankful that she didn’t attack him the second Mew vanished. Maybe she wasn’t mindlessly bloodthirsty after all.

Neither spoke to the other as the sky grew darker, nor did they move from the room. Silvally settled onto his bed gently, easing himself down with one back leg, keeping the healing one propped off to the side. He shuffled around to keep the pressure off his ribs, following Mew’s advice. The whole routine took more time than he wanted, and it was frustrating not being able to move like he normally could.  

Artemis kept her gaze locked on Silvally, and dropped onto the bed rather roughly. She growled in discomfort from the unfamiliar surface, and shifted in place to get comfortable. Her eyes settled on Silvally, unwilling to let the former criminal out of her sight.

They were too close together, and being near one another set them both on edge.

Silver eyes met red. Neither said a word as the world gradually darkened around them. Despite the exhausting day, and feeling the adrenaline leaving his system, Silvally refused to close his eyes first. Even as his vision swam in exhaustion, he kept himself facing the hybrid fox. Artemis did the same, though feeling much more rested. She kept a cool, neutral expression as she gazed back at the former outlaw, staring at him, as if daring him to make a move.  

Tensions were high in the guild that evening. Wigglytuff slept soundly as always, but Chatot remained alert. Many of the apprentices tossed and turned, rumours letting them know that just doors down was a terrifying freak of nature that could overpower them without effort. The only thing that calmed them was the presence of Wigglytuff, Chatot, and Artemis.

Neither Artemis nor Silvally slept that night.

Chapter Text

“Good morning! It’s time to start the day!”

The familiar eighty-decibel greeting of Noibat woke the members of Team Floof up with a jolt. The Growlithe, Zorua, Eevee, and Rockruff all rolled to turn and face the door, giving various greetings, scowls, and groans at being woken up so early.

Well, it wasn’t early per se, just that the four had been awake far later than normal last night. They had been talking—small things initially, their mission the previous day, how good dinner was, the plans for tomorrow…

The Outlaw.

They couldn’t believe it at first. They thought they had glimpsed the large Pokémon being led into Wigglytuff’s office the night prior, but weren’t able to get a close look. Toxicroak had all but confirmed it when everyone had been called for dinner, however. Chatot and Wigglytuff didn’t address the situation, even though they probably heard the whispers from the apprentices all through the meal. In fact, both seemed relatively focused and quiet. Well, Chatot had. Wigglytuff was just… Wigglytuff. But more intense.

The Guildmaster was difficult to read, even when he told people exactly how he felt.

Regardless of the lack of sleep, Team Floof had to perform the daily ritual, or else they suffered the wrath of an angry Chatot and a sad Wigglytuff. Truly, Wigglytuff was the worst of the two options. Not only would he scare someone so badly that they scrambled to appease him, but he would make them feel bad about it too!

No one wanted to make the Guildmaster cry.

The four stumbled their way into the common area of the lowest floor within the guild. They kept themselves to the left, making room for Chatot to hop by deeper into the living area. Each gave a passing glance to the Guildmaster’s right-hand-Pokémon, wondering just why he was heading down the hallway.

Team Floof filtered into the room, and looked around. All of the apprentices in the guild were muttering among one another and shuffling around on the grass, worry evident from their actions. Words such as “criminal,” and “Artemis” were thrown around, but no one was brave enough to raise their voices. The four members took their standard positions in the common area and faced one another.

“G-guys… Everyone’s acting weird. You don’t think Toxicroak was serious, d-do you?” Zorua asked and shuffled closer toward Growlithe, her hackles raised.

“Of course he was! I told you I saw Miss Artemis too!” Growlithe was considerably less quiet, whisper-yelling to the group. The rest of his team rolled their eyes at him.

“Figures you’d focus on the pretty fox, and not the behemoth beside her,” Eevee ribbed, shaking his head.

“I’m not sure if anyone else noticed, but look at the stairs…” Rockruff chimed in. She used her nose to subtly gesture toward the entrance to the bottom floor. Eevee and Zorua were quick in their little glances. Growlithe, however, whipped himself around with all the subtlety of a Rhydon, obviously staring at the duo who appeared to be guarding the exit.

A Mienshao and a Delphox stood just around the corner on the spiral stairs, watching the proceedings with set expressions. Fire flickered on the Delphox’s wand, while the Mienshao curled and relaxed her paws. The pair were known around the guild, coming by early in the morning to pick jobs and then leaving once more. They must have been asked to stay for a moment.

Turning their gaze further left, they noticed that Toxicroak had abandoned his cauldron altogether. Instead, the poison frog was leaning against the back wall, those sharp claws oozing a nasty-looking poison that hissed when it dripped to the ground below. The grass the poison landed on bubbled and turned an unhealthy black in an instant.  

The four very quickly realized just why everyone was being quiet, and why the Guildmaster was already out. It seemed as if Toxicroak’s words and the mutterings of the other guild members were accurate after all. All too quickly, the early morning atmosphere felt thick, despite the open windows. There was an underlying tension they hadn’t quite noticed in their tired state. Now, however, their nerves were on edge.

Everyone in the room could feel it, that odd tension in the air. Even with the sea breeze filtering in from the edge of town, the heavy weight that sat on the shoulders of the young apprentices seemed to muffle the usual excitable morning energy.

Chatot hopped his way out of the hallway and into the common area, distracting everyone from their thoughts, the mutters dying down in an instant. The soft hops the bird made were the only noticeable sound in the room, save the slight whistle of the wind coming in through the windows. The bird came to a stop at the front of the room and cleared his throat.

“Ahem! Good morning! Before our morning cheer, I have an announcement to make,” Chatot shifted in place, looking a little nervous. “For the newer members, I’ll have to explain this once more. As a guild, we house you, apprentices, and others as well. I’m sure you’ve noticed them, the exploration teams visiting Treasure Town, or the various Pokémon that come and go from the guild, living here, taking missions and the like.”

A short wave of murmurs and nods came from the apprentices within the group, tails flicking or paws tapping on the grass below. Chatot’s anxious little movements were putting the rest of them on edge.

“We house and rehabilitate Pokémon as well. I’m sure you remember the Kadabra that left several months ago, or the Mightyena and Salazzle from last year. These were Pokémon who made mistakes in life, and we helped them get back on the right track.” Some concerned noises arose from the newer apprentices. “Th-They’re all cleared to ensure they’re no danger to you beforehand, so there are no worries there! You’re completely safe!” Chatot hurried to reassure the members, giving a little laugh to wave away their worries.

“That being said, these Pokémon we help tend to be staying for a time, so we thought it best to let you know. You may have noticed two Pokémon last night. The, uh, ones in question you’re probably aware of,” Chatot cleared his throat, and flapped his wings in agitation. “Er, Artemis, you two can come forward.”

Every apprentice in the room whipped their focus from Chatot to the hallway that led to the barracks. The world seemed to come to a standstill at that moment, the soft breaths and anxious noises all coming to a stop. No one dared speak as the subject of conversation stepped from the hallway and into view.

He was massive in every sense of the word. Large talons sank into the grass below, tearing up chunks of it as he made his way forward. Muscles rippled and flexed visibly through his legs and sides with every step. That bright metal upper jaw and those large teeth glimmered in the early morning light. The limping motion while walking did little to reduce the intimidating presence of Silvally, those silver eyes flickering about the room, taking in everyone and everything, analyzing them, cold and calculating. The mismatched body parts looked grotesque and wrong, setting every instinct within the Pokémon present screaming. This thing wasn’t normal. The outline of ribs along his sides did little to aid that, the creature looking at once too large yet too small. Back paws larger than some of their heads plodded forward on the ground, and that out-of-place tail stood out.

It was all looked so wrong.  

The air was thick with tension as Silvally came to the front of the room and stopped beside Chatot. The salty sea breeze floating in through the windows was unnaturally heavy, weighing everyone down as they stared at the former criminal.

Silvally towered over Chatot and Wigglytuff, that crest reaching high enough that some of the apprentices had to crane their heads back to see the top. Those sharp talons sank into the earth below, kneading at it, crushing up pebbles and dirt as he looked out upon the crowd, eyes darting between everyone.

Despite looking intimidating and dangerous, Silvally was nervous. He didn’t like how everyone was looking at him. From what he understood, these were the next generation of explorers and were still in training. They didn’t have proper situational awareness or might be more likely to react poorly to surprises.

Surprises like him.

There was a long moment of silence as the former outlaw stood at the front of the room; no one dared to breathe. The tension in the room faded as a comforting warmth rolled in soon after, drifting in from the hallway. Another set of footsteps, far lighter, came from out of the hallway seconds after Silvally left. They were smooth, flowing, and practiced, every bit as elegant as their owner.

Artemis made her way to the front of the room, the thinnest layer of steam wisping from her fur and settling on the ground around her like mist. The cloying ocean air was quickly replaced by that fresh, soothing warmth radiating from the fox, her deity-like appearance radiating the calm and sureness they all needed at that moment.

There was a collective sigh, several Pokémon relaxing as the Ninetales came to stand on the opposite side of Silvally, between him and the stairs. Her tails rippled and flowed in the breeze rolling in from the windows, giving the apprentices something to focus on other than the large Pokémon looming over them.

“I’m sure you’re all familiar with these two, so introductions will be skipped,” Chatot said. “Artemis is going to be here helping us rehabilitate the Pokémon and getting him back into the world. I’d like to ask you not to bother the two, and treat them like you would the other exploration teams that reside within the guild.” Chatot flapped his wings, emphasizing the importance of the other explorers who were also here. The apprentices didn’t have a reason to be afraid with all the explorers nearby.

Silvally didn’t miss how Chatot referred to him as ‘the Pokémon.’ It was still better than being called the “Outlaw” like last night. Still, he hoped it wouldn’t be a common occurrence. He had a name, kind of. At least, he thought Silvally was his name. He’d never really thought about it too hard, just accepted that title. Should he come up with his own name?

“Now I know it’s all exciting, and you want autographs from Miss Ninetales, but I’d again like you to just carry on with your normal duties. Just because we have a famous explorer here doesn’t mean you get to ignore your tasks!” Chatot gave a little laugh, acting as if this were a normal day.

No one else laughed. Chatot cleared his throat and looked around.

“…W-well, I don’t have much else to add! Does anyone have any questions?”

Silence.

“I, uh… Ah, Guildmaster!” Chatot tried to direct the silent stares elsewhere. “Do you have anything you want to add? I believe I covered it all fairly well, but please feel free to bring up anything I forgot!”

Chatot turned toward Wigglytuff and tilted his head. The Guildmaster merely stared out upon the apprentices, eyes locked on something, not breaking his focus.

…

“Er, Guildmaster?” Chatot hopped forward, leaning in a little. He gazed at Wigglytuff and raised a wing to interrupt his staring contest with the wall. “Guildmaster? Are you-”

A deep, rumbling snore escaped the pink Pokémon. Chatot squawked and flapped backward, his violent reaction sending the bird Pokémon right into the forelegs of Silvally. The large Pokémon lifted his talon and reared back in surprise, while Chatot bounced off and stumbled forward, their size difference causing the bird to ragdoll onto the grass.

Silvally settled back down and winced when cold washed over his side, the chill radiating from Artemis. Still, he didn’t look at her, pretending it was the breeze, and focused on the downed Chatot.

Chatot gave an indignant huff and pushed himself upright again, grumbling under his breath. He was tired of these surprises and shenanigans of the highest degree. The brief contact with the former outlaw also had his feathers ruffled most uncomfortably.

Silvally shook off his front leg, the brief contact with someone else making his skin crawl. That wasn’t a feeling he was used to at all, and he hoped he wouldn’t have to repeat it anytime soon.

“Guildmaster! Guildmaster! Wake up!” Chatot hopped forward and fluttered his wings at the pink Pokémon. All this accomplished was ruffling Wigglytuff’s fur and causing him to lean to the left. There was still no conscious response as another snore rolled from the wide-eyed Wigglytuff, causing snickers to escape the gathered apprentices. “I swear, I’m going to- Squawk!”

A large, wet snowball was lobbed over Silvally, from Artemis, and landed flat on Wigglytuff’s head. The snow exploded outward, catching Chatot in the beak and making the bird reel back in disgust and surprise, flapping his wings indignantly. The apprentices laughed a bit more, the tension in the air rapidly dissipating.

Luckily, that snowball was exactly what Wigglytuff needed to wake up. He snapped upright and stared at the gathered Pokémon. He raised an arm into the air, paws curled, and belted out a cry, energy radiating from the older Guildmaster in waves.

“Okay, Pokémon! Let’s get to work!” Wigglytuff cried out with all the energy in the world, trying to motivate the guild. It was inspiring, powerful, and meant to stir the very souls of his guild apprentices, to encourage them to do good and make the world a better place.

…

The remnants of snow on top of Wigglytuff’s head slowly crept down his cheek and fell to the floor. Wigglytuff didn’t even flinch, as if completely unaware it was even there.

Chatot blinked and looked at the Guildmaster. Then to the stunned apprentices. Back to the still-posing Wigglytuff. Then to the snickering apprentices again.

“Wh-what kind of response was that? Do better, all of you! Let me hear it! With feeling!” Chatot cried out, gesturing with his wings to encourage the gathered Pokémon. “Let’s get to work!”

“HOORAY!” The cry sounded out from the apprentices in the room, the complete change in mood throwing them all off.

Chatot turned to face the duo on the stairs, giving the Delphox and the Mienshao a little wave with his wing. They took off soon after, and Toxicroak returned to his position at his cauldron, cackling to himself.

The assembled Pokémon quickly dispersed, not wanting to gather Chatot’s ire, nor be forced near the horrific Pokémon at the front of the room any longer. They all vanished up the stairs or took off deeper into the guild, moving to do their regular tasks as per routine.

Silvally, however, just stood still, confused as ever, wondering what exactly he had been voluntold to do for three months. If this was to be the start of their morning, he was dreading what the rest of the day would look like.

Artemis sighed and gave a wistful smile. She did miss the guild’s antics sometimes—it was kind of nice to be back.

~{O}~{O}~{O}~

Silvally followed Artemis up the stairs inside the guild. He kept himself close to the wall to give as much space on the other side of himself as possible and allowed other Pokémon to pass by on the stairs.  The others never failed to give him a look; fear and or weariness seemed to be the most common ones.

Upon reaching the next floor Artemis took a sharp right. She weaved her way around a pair of Pokémon with graceful steps and came to a stop in front of a board. In front of a series of boards, to be precise. The wooden backboards were set up in a sprawl that looped along the wide walls and wrapped around to the back. The number of papers on each board dwindled the further to the back of the room they reached. The other side of the room was structured similarly, only going right instead of left.

“Okay… Just treat this like you would a new apprentice. Nothing complicated, you’ve done this plenty of times before…” Artemis muttered to herself.

Silvally caught the words and flicked his ears forward, tilting his head in confusion. The Ninetales sent him a glare and frowned as if he was forcing her to do something she hated.

“Alright, I’m going to keep this simple. The left side of the room is for rescue requests, item retrievals, and whatnot. The missions go up in rank the closer to the back of the room you go. The other side of the room is a similar setup but for criminals and outlaws.” She glanced at Silvally. When she received no reaction to her words, Artemis huffed and flourished her tails in dismissal.

“Whatever… Normally you’d be restricted to a specific rank of missions by the Expedition Society, but since we’re ‘working together’, you can pick anything in here. I’m gonna grab an easy mission this time around, just to show you how things are done. After today, though…” Artemis gave a little smirk and glanced at the boards again. She gave a little hum and raised a paw to point at the middle of the side wall.  “Nothing below an ‘S’ rank. I’m going to put you to work and make sure you get the proper explorer experience. None of this tame stuff the others get, got it?”

Silvally leaned to the side a touch, shifting his weight to his properly healed side. His front talons worked at the dirt beneath his feet, trying to stave off the anxiety of the passive-aggressive fox trying to rile him up. He kept his gaze on the wall and nodded. Artemis merely responded with another huff. She got to her feet and approached the board, looking over it. She hummed and then flared her powers a little to pluck a page off the board with psychic energy. Silvally took a slight step back from the display, placing his injured leg on the floor and leaning on it a little too hard. He winced but otherwise remained collected.

“Here, this one’s super easy. Some kids in town decided to go exploring. They wandered into the Drenched Bluff dungeon, and one lost their scarf. All we have to do is find it and bring it back,” Artemis explained. She took the paper into her paw and shoved it toward Silvally, hitting his shoulder through the paper. “Take it.”

Unfortunately, that was the same shoulder just days prior she had bitten into and seared with her Flamethrower. While it was healed, if a little sore, the contact still caused the memory of the attack to flare up. The sharp teeth gripping him as they hurtled through the air. That firey breath melting his flesh, burning him deeper and deeper no matter how hard he thrashed. The feeling of being burned and then frozen over and over and over-

“Hey, you paying attention? I’m not explaining this again.”

Artemis’s voice cut through the unwanted memories, jolting him out of them. Silvally pushed himself away from her, the jump sending him in a barely controlled spin to the center of the room. He landed hard, his injured back leg crumpling under him from the landing, causing him to stumble. He winced and lifted his leg, hobbling back a couple of steps, his eyes locked on the fox. His heartbeat was too loud, and he swore the Ninetales would be able to hear it from across the room.

Artemis darted forward, frost already rolling from her jaws, freezing the grass below as she came to a halt a body length away from Silvally. He took short breaths, his muscles tense, trying to control the adrenaline running through his system. Artemis was moving her mouth. She was saying something, but he couldn’t quite hear her—it sounded like his head was underwater. He forced his eyes closed and faced the floor, his talons and paws clenching at the ground below hard enough to dig furrows into the rock.

The rest of the Pokémon in the room looked on in concern, edging toward the stairs. Luckily no one had been in the back corner where the higher-ranked missions were, but the sudden and violent move had startled everyone present. Still, they didn’t retreat completely, as Artemis was standing in front of Silvally, energy radiating off of her in waves that frosted the grass below. They trusted her to protect them and deal with the reactive Pokémon.

Silvally clenched his jaw, his teeth grinding on metal in a displeasing screech. He forced himself to take deep, drawn-out breaths, even as his lungs tried to force them out. His ribs ached from the deep breathing, but he kept at it.

Slowly, he relaxed, his heartbeat dropping from a thundering rhythm to a steady march. He shook his head, and kept his eyes on the ground, just able to see the white paws of the fox at the edge of his vision.

“Are you done? What the actual fuck was that? Don’t try to—”

“Don’t touch me,” Silvally ground out.

His rough voice interrupted Artemis, catching the explorer off guard. She had been expecting him to remain silent toward her like normal. The fox took a breath to begin her verbal tirade, only to stop as Silvally looked at her.

“Please,” he added.

Artemis stood still for a long moment, just watching. The tall form of Silvally wasn’t imposing and towering over others. At this moment, he looked small. His eyes darted back and forth, not able to fully look at her, but getting close, before flicking away again. He was shaking, from what Artemis assumed was pure adrenaline. Still, he did his best to draw himself upright, even as his legs quivered with the effort, and his teeth ground so hard against the metal that she thought they would shatter.

For a brief moment, she felt proud. She was happy that she was able to terrify criminals and had them shaking in fear. The very idea caused her mood to soar. She was so strong, so skilled, that she had high-level criminals trembling before her. Proof of her hard work and her efforts was standing right before her.

That was immediately followed with regret. Disgust. Shame and an unsettling amount of guilt gnawed at her insides, causing her tails to droop. She had promised Mew she would give him a chance, hadn’t she? The thought of being able to instill fear into criminals was wonderous, but…

At this moment, Silvally didn’t look like a criminal. He looked nervous, on edge, trying his best to keep himself calm.

It was a familiar sight to Artemis, having seen it on many rescue missions into mystery dungeons. Managing to find the Pokémon that had gone missing, who were trying valiantly to stand in the face of fear and hostile environments; to keep themselves moving forward despite the hopeless odds. That grim, horrific knowledge that they had to force themselves onward, or their life was forfeit.

The Pokémon she rescued usually ended up crying tears of relief when they managed to get out of the dungeon, a few even doing so when they saw her approaching them. She brought hope to terrified and lost Pokémon who had been so sure they were going to die out in the wilderness or suffer a worse fate. She recognized the shaking and shuddering, the forced breaths, and the fake posture. The strained speech and weak attempts to look normal despite the situation. Artemis found comfort in being able to reassure Pokémon that they were finally safe and allowed them to cling to her until they got it out of their system.

But here she was, feeling proud of herself and ready to attack someone suffering those same feelings. Her ears folded back and her tails fell further. She wasn’t acting like some big, impressive hero. She had been ready to assault someone trying to work through their fear. From what, she wasn’t sure, but a question lingered in the back of her mind, causing a ball of unwanted guilt to settle in her chest.

What was wrong with her?

“I… Alright. Okay, I won’t.” Her voice was soft. She took several steps back, and sat down, just observing for now. The visible relief Silvally displayed at that caused Artemis to frown. She waited for a long moment, glancing to the left, catching a few of the guild members and an exploration team whispering among themselves. They were too far away to make out what they were saying from their position near the stairs.

Silvally finally took a deep, loud breath, drawing Artemis’s gaze back to him once more. He blinked, and clenched his paws and talons, muscles tensing, before relaxing again. Then, he was back to normal, looking like nothing had even occurred. If she hadn’t been there to witness the event, she could have easily believed he had faked it.

Silvally took a step forward, and then another, moving closer to Artemis and pausing only two body lengths away. He looked at her and nodded the smallest amount, letting her know that whatever had caused him to panic had passed.

She would have to find out what caused it later, she didn’t want to have to deal with it during a mission. The touch seemed to have done it, but why?

Questions for later, not that it mattered to her in the slightest. The fox tugged the paper that had fallen to the floor toward herself with a brief use of psychic power. The paper floated over, covered in a thin pink outline, and settled itself right between the duo.

“Here, you hold onto this. It’s still technically your work, even if I’m leading it today,” she explained.

Artemis pushed herself back to all fours and turned, her tails flourishing as she made her way toward the stairs. The small crowd parted before the majestic fox, silent as she moved by. She turned her head and looked over her shoulder at Silvally.

“Let’s go, I still need to go to town before we head out. You’re gonna get lost without me.”

Silvally grabbed the paper and stuffed it into his Treasure Bag, limping his way forward to catch up to Artemis. He balked at the little corridor between the Pokémon that were staring at him but set his sights on the waiting fox and continued. Little murmurs and whispers sounded around him as he walked by, but he ignored them. Instead, he made his way up the stairs, following after Artemis.

Before long they had reached the top, exited the guild, and came to a stop at the peak of another long set of stairs. Artemis stood on the left side, while Silvally was on the right. They remained still for a long moment, not looking at one another, but instead gazing out at the view from high up.

Straight south of them was the staircase that led to the crossroads, and what looked like a cafe. Beyond that, more stairs, and then a forest. There were some small houses along the path toward the beach, bordering the right side of the path. To the left, out of view, was the path that led to the jail he had visited the day prior.

To the west lay Treasure Town in all its glory. The bustling town had a variety of structures of numerous colours, and all the Pokémon down there didn’t help with the visual noise. Beyond that lay a cliff, and then an open ocean. Behind them to the north was the guild, and behind that, tall dispersed rock formations like the one the guild sat on, surrounded by a sea of trees. They continued far into the distance. Then, to the east, was the wilderness. The rest of the continent, and the open expanses Silvally had been calling home since he swam here.

Already he missed the simplicity and calm feeling of everything. It was a far different lifestyle than the one he was being introduced to.

Unfortunately, he wouldn’t have the chance to escape. He wasn’t sure he would be able to in the first place, and if he did, they would be after him again in a heartbeat. No, with his injured leg, it wasn’t a great plan. To add to the issue of leaving, Artemis had set herself on his left, blocking him from darting for the open plains.

He put the thoughts of potential escape out of his mind for now. It was a poor idea, and he’d rather not shred any goodwill he had with some Pokémon here. Mew would be disappointed in him, but maybe she’d understand. Metagross had cleared him, kind of. That was another partial point in his favour. Wigglytuff seemed to like him, though that Pokémon was a wall of mystery and impossible to read. Not nearly enough to guarantee his safety in escaping.

Silvally and Artemis made their way down the stairs, neither talking to the other during the long descent. Silvally occasionally stumbled when his back leg flared up in pain, causing him to put more force on his talons. When they reached the bottom of the stairs, they took a right turn and angled toward the town.

The feeling of dread that crept through Silvally when they turned into town caused some of his fur to stand.

“I’m not going to show you everything, just the main things we’ll be using,” Artemis explained.

Immediately Silvally was set upon by looks. Pokémon turned their heads, looking at him with varying degrees of hostility or fear. Artemis didn’t seem to notice or just didn’t care as the two walked side-by-side, a healthy distance spacing the pair.

“The first building on the right is Dusknoir Bank. You can store money and valuable possessions there. It’s full of ghost-types, so if you die, they can personally guarantee your stuff goes to your children or whoever you told them to,” Artemis explained.

Silvally wasn’t exactly appreciative of the idea of death being brought up so soon. He looked upon the squat black and grey building, with what looked like a Dusknoir’s stomach mouth as the entrance. A cold draft oozed from the building, setting Silvally’s fur on end.

“On the left is the Dojo, but don’t bother with that one. See the big building there? The one spanning across the river? That’s Blissy Hospital. Used to be just a daycare, but with more Pokémon, the town needed a proper place for explorers to recover.”

There were two additional paths to the left and the right. The one going to the right led past a short grey building with electric yellow highlights. Beyond that were several more buildings, but Artemis didn’t seem too concerned about explaining those. To the left was a set of stairs that looked like it led to the same general path that the prison had been located on, and angled down toward the beach. It seemed relatively busy; the number of Pokémon coming up or going down didn’t seem to be decreasing any.

The two continued through town, Artemis shuffling over to the side so that Silvally was on the grass and she was on the path, allowing for more Pokémon to walk by without running into them. Receptions to the two were mixed, with people growing excited or waving to Artemis. Then in almost the same instant, they’d look at Silvally and recoil, or pretend they hadn’t been about to speak, and hurried on their way.

He wished he were back in the wild. Those Pokémon were all equally defensive and treated one another with respect. It was all about survival. Here, they looked at him with anger and disgust, showing off how cruel these ‘civilized’ Pokémon were.

Silvally glanced down as he and Artemis crossed over a wooden bridge. He kept away from the railings and looked through at the water rushing below his feet, separated by just those thin wooden boards. He knew he would be able to break them if he flexed his talons hard enough. Still, he did his best not to think of falling into the swift, clear water. Instead, he looked ahead, still ignoring those whispers and weird looks the Pokémon in town gave him.

“Alright, tour is almost done. On the left is Kadabra’s Magical Emporium, it’s just a rare object buy-and-sell business. More stairs, the port elevator, cliff, whatever,” Artemis waved away that side entirely, and turned her attention to the right, padding forward. “This is Kangaskhan Storage Depot.”

She weaved around a few Pokémon and came to a stop before a large hut made of rocks. It was formed to look like the owner, an older Pokémon who was turned around and speaking with someone in the back.

“Good morning, Miss. K,” Artemis greeted.

“Oh? Why, that sounds like Artemis! How are you this morning, dear?” The older Pokémon was still fiddling with something in the back.

Silvally stood a distance from the Ninetales, keeping his gaze locked forward, examining the rocky hut, and then the large stone-walled section behind that. Tall containers and square buildings filled the walled-off section, but it was difficult to get a good look behind the wall.

“Exhausted,” Artemis replied, glancing over her shoulder to give Silvally a look, “I had a long night. Easy job today though, just a retrieval mission. I’m just hoping to pull a few Oran Berries from storage.”

“Oran Berries? Of course, I’ll get my son to check.” She spoke to someone out of view a moment later. The older Kangaskhan finally turned around, fixing the white fox with a bright smile. “I’m so glad you’re finally able to take a break and do some easy work, dear. I even heard you caught that nasty outlaw, I’m so happy for you!” The Pokémon leaned in and cupped Artemis’s cheeks, and planted a kiss on her forehead.

“Well, about that…” Artemis pulled her head away from those strong, shaky hands, and shook her head. She couldn’t get in another word before the Kangaskhan continued, looking like she hadn’t heard the fox.

“I was always worried when you went out after him, especially with all the teams he beat. But I figured if anyone could put a criminal like that away, it would be you,” Kangaskhan praised. Artemis shifted uncomfortably. “You know, I’m kind of hoping they ship him off. We don’t want someone like that locked up here, after all. Too dangerous, I think, especially after all the grief he’s been giving everyone for the last couple of years... Bah, ignore me. I’m so happy for you, hun.”

Silvally’s ears twitched at that. It was obvious the older Pokémon hadn’t noticed him yet, the grey film covering her eyes making her vision problems apparent. He kept himself still, however, not wanting to alert the older woman to his presence. Instead, he grimaced and began kneading at the ground with his talons. Those powerful digits raked through hard-packed dirt and rock as if it were sand.

Artemis didn’t say anything to correct the older Pokémon at all, merely thanking her, and chatting away about how nice the weather was, or how the Depot was doing. Her tails swayed side to side as they spoke about this and that, while Silvally was left to stand there in silence.

Had he been wrong to defend himself? How could he have been hurting people here when he was all the way out there? It made no sense, he specifically made sure to avoid this place, and the people within. He put in effort to actively avoid fights if he could. Was his restraint for nothing?

“Hey, Mama, no luck. She’s got no Oran Berries in the back.” A younger Pokémon, similar in appearance to the elderly one, stepped out of the back. His eyes locked on the Ninetales with his head poking around the corner. Then, his eyes shifted to the left, and the Pokémon froze.

Silvally met his gaze with intense silver eyes. He didn’t mean to stare, but the look of confusion, anger, fear, and plain hostility sent him reeling.

“Hey… Mama? Could I talk with ya in the back, please?” Her son’s speech was drawn out. It was as if he were trying not to move too suddenly in an attempt to avoid setting off a predator.

“Hm? Oh, sure sweetie, let me just finish up,” she replied. The older Kangaskhan turned from her son, and back to Artemis. “I’m sorry, dear, looks like you’re out at the moment. Oh! I did see Farmer Leafeon with Oran Berries in the market this morning, I’m sure he’s still got some for you.”

“Thank you, I appreciate it” Artemis replied. She stood up and shook out her tails, turning to the side. “I hope you two have a wonderful morning!” The Ninetales spoke as she began making her way by Silvally.

He stood and watched for a moment as the elderly Pokémon hobbled down the steps from the stand and moved to the back. A pair of hands grabbed the Kangaskhan’s shoulders and pulled her out of view, replaced by the wide shoulders of her son. There was some frantic whispering and some hand gestures.

Silvally moved to follow Artemis, looking over his shoulder at the storage hut. The older Pokémon ducked her head out from around the corner and squinted right at Silvally. Then, she gasped and raised her hands to her mouth. Her son pushed her out of view shortly after, the duo vanishing around the corner. A wooden gate slammed shut at the front of the building, locking anyone and everyone out. The action pulled some unwanted attention to the area.

“Hey, c’mon, we’ve gotta go to Kecleon Market,” Artemis said impatiently, breaking Silvally’s gaze on the building.

He limped forward a little faster to keep up, falling into step behind the fox, making sure to keep at least a body length between himself and the hybrid Ninetales. The duo took a left and turned up a gravel path. The little rocks beneath their feet quickly turned to stone blocks, the flat surface extending onward a fair distance.

Artemis and Silvally stepped into what looked to be an open-air market. Multiple rows of wooden carts and stalls lined the stone footpath, each with its products that were being sold. Several of the stands had a colourful cloth spread over the top to shade the Pokémon running them, while others were open to the sun. There were so many smells, sounds, and colours that washed over one another and created a mess that was difficult to take in. The constant chatter and the numerous voices filled the air with a low, unintelligible rumble. Trying to pick any one voice out of it was a near-impossible task.

Artemis weaved her way through the Pokémon like a dancer, smooth and sinuous in her motions. Silvally attempted to follow, pushing away his immense discomfort of walking through so many Pokémon. They were far too close and there were too many for his liking; it made his fur stand on end. He had to stop several times to avoid trampling the much smaller Pokémon.

Occasionally he would glance up and notice a tall Pokémon looking at him, but other than that was focusing his attention downward to follow Artemis. Finally, she stopped before a series of tables. A Leafeon stood upon a tree stump, standing behind the tables, and was busy sorting through many berries, fruits, and vegetables, arranging his display.

“Good morning, Leafeon,” Artemis greeted. She made her way a little closer to the stall and flashed a smile to the leafy Pokémon.

Silvally tried his best to get closer without running into anyone, his unease at all the close Pokémon sent his skin crawling.

“Ah, Lady Ninetales, lovely for you to deign me with your presence. Please refrain from freezing my products, they’re all I have in this world,” the Leafeon begged, bowing low on the tree stump. Artemis raised a brow, then rolled her eyes, and bonked the Pokémon over the head with a tail.

“Knock that off you goof, none of this fancy talk,” Artemis pulled back and used her nose to point at some Oran Berries on the table. “Just need four of those for the moment, I ran out over the last few days.”

“Ah, yes, chasing down that criminal. Hope you didn’t- Is that him?” Leafeon blinked, and turned his head to the right, staring at the large Pokémon.

Silvally was standing off to the side, as close as he could get to the stall. He towered over the other Pokémon in the market, save for a few of the taller species. He tried to ignore the looks Pokémon gave him when passing by or tensed up when they got too close for comfort, brushing against his legs with just a hair between them. It was all too close, and he was against the whole concept of the crowded market.

“Yeah, that’s the one,” Artemis replied, narrowing her eyes as she looked at the Pokémon.

“Why isn’t he locked up?” The Leafeon asked.

“Community service,” she replied.

“Ah…” He frowned. “That’s a horrible idea.”

“Yup,” Artemis popped the P at the end.

“So you’re… what, looking after him? Making sure he doesn’t hurt anyone?”

“That’s the plan. Making sure no innocents are hurt, that kind of thing. Reporting everything to Wigglytuff. Three months of this, starting today.”

“…That sounds like something Wigglytuff would do,” Leafeon admitted.

“Yup,” she popped the P once again.

“Well, shoot. You have my sympathies; I wish you luck with all that. Arceus, I swear things get weirder every day,” Farmer Leafeon cleared his throat and moved over a little. He used an under-powered Vine Whip to extend two vines and pushed four Oran Berries and a Pecha Berry toward Artemis. “Here, for free. I still owe you for chasing off those ferals that were raiding my farm.”

“…That was years ago, I can’t—”

“Oh, just shut up and take the damn berries.” Leafeon pushed them closer to the edge, threatening to spill them to the ground. Artemis rolled her eyes and used a paw to scoop them into her Treasure Bag.  “Go on now, it looks like your new friend is attracting a bit too much attention.” Artemis thanked the Leafeon and turned her gaze back to Silvally once more.

She hadn’t noticed it when she was talking with Leafeon, but Kecleon Market had grown quiet. The usual chatter and constant sound of paws and feet on the stone were gone. Replacing it was the sound of hushed whispers and harsh comments, all coming from around the former outlaw, who had a semi-circle of Pokémon just facing him. Silvally was doing his best to avoid looking at anyone, instead keeping his eyes forward and on the little table of fruits near Artemis and Leafeon.

The hybrid Ninetales made her way forward, nudging herself in between Pokémon or clearing her throat, working her way through toward Silvally. The comments grew louder, and she couldn’t help but hear a few of them.

“What’s wrong with it? What happened to its face?” a Pokémon whispered.

“That’s the criminal, the one that’s been evading capture for two years,” one replied.

“He’s an ugly piece of work,” another commented. A round of agreements sounded out.

Artemis’s ear twitched at that, and she walked forward a little faster. She was hampered by the tightly packed crowd, doing her best to politely make her way through without shoving them to the ground. Still, she was making progress, step by step.

“Should we jump him and get an officer? Can we take him?”

“That freak has taken on a bunch of teams, I doubt it.”

“It’s all so wrong. Why does it look like that? What happened to its tail?”

Artemis’s tails twitched at the comment, the differently coloured appendages flaring out and bumping into several different Pokémon. Several angry grumbles sounded out before they realized just who those tails belonged to. Apologies were quick to follow, Pokémon already starting to back up when they noticed the white Ninetales approaching.

“Shh, back up, it’s Artemis!”

“Oh, Arceus, are they going to fight? Should we run?”

“No need to run, she’ll end this quickly.”

Artemis stepped into the semi-circle surrounding Silvally and ignored the crowd. She turned to face him, glancing down at the furrows his talons were digging into the solid stone. She looked up again, noticing the clenched jaw and the intent stare he was giving the fruit display.

“Let’s go, we’ve still got a mission to do. Can’t waste all day here,” Artemis announced, a little louder than necessary.

She made sure she kept herself from contacting Silvally as she curled a tail around and blocked his view of the table, startling the Pokémon. Silvally pulled away from the tail, and shook his head, giving Artemis the quickest glance, before nodding.

The Ninetales turned away from Silvally and made her way toward the edge of the crowd, angling south once again. She stepped forward, not at all hesitating as she approached the Pokémon standing in the way. Like usual they parted before her, not stopping her progression at all as she took her even and graceful strides through them. She kept her head held high and tried to ignore the voices around her. Around them.

“Wait, what’s happening? Are they working together?”

“I think I heard something about community service…”

“With that thing? No way! We’ve gotta kick it outta here.”

“Hopefully it’ll end like Salazzle, and not that Mightyena…”

“You’re seriously considering it? A dangerous criminal like that just being allowed to do a few missions and then live in peace? No way.”

“Look at that thing. What a freak.”

Artemis frowned a little at the comments but continued. She would do what she always did in these situations and kept walking. One foot in front of the other. Strong, confident, and sure of herself. Every movement was calculated, and every look careful. She kept them in the corner of her vision as her strides carried her, just in case any of them decided to attack. Finally, she broke free of the crowd. The jeers and taunts and comments stung, but they didn’t—

Artemis blinked and shook her head, casting out unwanted memories. She glanced over her shoulder and made sure Silvally was following her, before facing forward once more. The Ninetales mentally berated herself for spacing out. She took a left once she exited the open-air market, heading east once more. She shifted herself to the side of the path and slowed down, allowing Silvally to walk nearer to her side, a body length still between the pair.

Neither of them mentioned what had happened. They remained silent as they walked through town, both of them occasionally glancing back to see if any Pokémon had decided to follow them out of the market. It didn’t look like anyone did, leaving the two free to wander their way back through town.

“That, er, that was Kecleon Market. Pokémon can set up stands to sell their goods there…” Artemis explained, avoiding the previous situation entirely. They crossed the wooden bridge once more, just facing forward during the walk. “There’s usually someone selling whatever you’re looking for, it just depends on how badly you want it, and how much you’re willing to pay.”

Silvally sent the fox a glance, and gave her a nod, a sound of acknowledgement escaping him. Nothing else was said as they walked toward the crossroads. Pokémon were passed on their walk, little comments and various expressions ignored. Eventually, the two came upon the crossroads, passing by the café.

“Need anything before we go?” Artemis finally asked, standing at the edge of civilization. She looked at the former outlaw, who stood a decent distance away from her, looking wistfully out into the open wilderness.

Silvally shook his head in reply, not even looking at the Ninetales. Artemis flicked an ear in annoyance at that but left it alone. She stepped forward, Silvally following her a moment later, the duo making their way down the packed dirt road.

“…Alright, let’s go then. Onward to Drenched Bluff.”

~{O}~{O}~{O}~

The sound of waves crashing against the beach crept through the air. The occasional cries of the wild Pokémon accented the natural noises. The humid air weighed the pair down, making the area feel warmer than it had any right to, but the cool breeze rolling off the ocean was a very welcome comfort. The sand and rocks they traversed were rough, and unbalanced, with large stone walls bordering the edges of the dungeon.

The atmosphere was uncomfortable to say the least, especially with Artemis glancing back constantly to make sure Silvally didn’t take off, or pick up some item to use against her.

 Silvally kept himself a small distance away from the Ninetales guiding him through the dungeon. He remained quiet—he had no questions, nor any desire to speak with the nine-tailed fox before him. She seemed tense and unhappy, her tails stiff in their movements and her gaze sharp. Instead, he just kept lookout, watching for traps and wild Pokémon, putting his time living within the dungeons to good use.

Unfortunately, Drenched Bluff was such a basic and boring dungeon that there was no need. The only thing of minor note was the pair of apples the two found. Artemis passed one back to him to share, only for the large Pokémon to eat the whole thing in an instant. It silenced some of the annoying growling in his stomach, not that Artemis heard or noticed.

Other than the occasional item find, things were quiet. Wild Pokémon ran from them as soon as they were spotted. It made sense to Silvally. Why would these weaker Pokémon want to take on these tall, powerful beings that wandered through the dungeon without care? If it was for pure survival, their best chance would be to hide and come out later on.

Unfortunately, one rather annoying Chingling didn’t seem to have any of these survival instincts that almost all Pokémon possessed. This little ball of yellow hopped along after the two explorers, attempting to fight or chase them off. Silvally admired the Pokémon’s willingness to chase powerful opponents, while Artemis merely snorted and shot a weak Ember at the thing.

Despite being hit and skidding across the ground, the Pokémon shook itself and began hopping after the pair at an increased pace. Every little hop produced another sharp jingle from the Chingling’s body. At first, it was endearing watching the Pokémon struggling after the duo, trailing smoke from its body. It was determined and wasn’t willing to let go.

Jingle. Jingle. Jingle. Jingle. Jingle.

Every hop made that noise.

Every single one.

Silvally very quickly grew from appreciative of the Pokémon’s courage, to mildly annoyed at the constant noise. He didn’t want to hurt the poor thing, and Artemis was far enough ahead to not hear the faint sound the creature made.

Jingle. Jingle. Jingle. Jingle. Jingle. Jingle. Jingle.

Silvally huffed, and turned, his jaw clenched in annoyance. He scooped up some rocks and gravel in his talons and threw it at the pursuing Pokémon, in an attempt to get it to leave. It was determined, ignoring the gravel and sand in order to approach.

Silvally growled at it in response, trying to intimidate the small Chingling. It still hopped onward, approaching certain death fearlessly.

“Hey, what’s the hold-up? Let’s go,” Artemis barked from further up. Silvally turned to look at the approaching fox, taking his eyes off the Chingling for a single moment.

The tiny bell Pokémon decided it would be the perfect time to attack. Silvally was in the middle of turning around when he was pelted in the chest by an energy-infused Tackle. The Chingling struck with all its’ might, aiming to incapacitate the mighty intruders.

The small Pokémon bounded off of Silvally and rolled to the ground. Silvally shifted the slightest amount back, the hit from the tackle feeling like someone had flicked him. He looked down at the staggered Pokémon, then to Artemis. The fox had a small smirk on her muzzle, having seen the whole thing.

Silvally was merciful, turning from the still struggling, smoking Chingling, and approached the awaiting Artemis once more. He was growing nearer when…

Jingle… Jingle… Jingle…

Silvally’s eye twitched and his talons curled up. In a swift movement, a Quick-Attack infused his body and sent the chimera hurtling toward the small Pokémon that just wouldn’t give up. He skidded to a stop, his hind end sliding a little ahead of his front. He planted his good back leg and turned, whipping himself around with great speed. His open claw caught the Chingling with a powerful crack of talons on metal as he swung in from the side.

Silvally and Artemis both watched as the Chingling rocketed off into the distance, over the walls of the mystery dungeon. Its small form grew further away. Chingling’s shrill cry faded with distance as it trailed smoke from its burns, and its ribbons flailed behind it in the wind. Then, it was gone, over the walls. A faint splash was heard, and then blissful silence.

Silvally turned back to face Artemis, who was still staring out over the walls to where the Pokémon had vanished. Then, she started laughing. It was a quiet, soft sound, the breathy laugh not at all fitting with the violent and aggressive, or dismissive attitude the fox displayed toward him. Then again, when Silvally had managed to look and listen to the fox while she interacted with others in Treasure Town, she was far more polite.

The moment of peace was over soon enough. Artemis took a deep breath and sighed, the tension in her form and the stiff swaying of her tails relaxed. The sharp, calculating gaze in her eyes faded somewhat, allowing for a softer look for a brief moment. She then turned to face Silvally once more. Her tails gave a little flick, and she huffed softly. The Ninetales tilted her head and gestured deeper into the dungeon, encouraging Silvally to follow once more.

The heavy atmosphere within the dungeon seemed to lift a little.

~{O}~{O}~{O}~

Artemis sat across from Silvally at one of the back tables in the mess hall. The fox was jealous of the guild improvements that occurred shortly after she graduated. She hadn’t enjoyed being crammed into the small room with thirty other Pokémon and struggling for space. This open area was far nicer, and the number of windows through the room allowed an ample amount of air so it never felt stuffy.

The two sat on the floor, the table at an appropriate height for quadrupedal Pokémon to sit and eat without hassle. Artemis had no troubles, though Silvally had to lean down pretty far to get at his food. Artemis watched the chimera eat, sharp teeth and powerful jaws shredding the meat and various fruits with ease. He had looked confused at first, as if he hadn’t ever had meat before, but quickly took to it.

Artemis took a bite of her food and huffed, still annoyed at this whole situation. What was Wigglytuff thinking? Honestly, this whole thing was still a waste of time, and it would still be safer just to lock him up, and make sure he was away from the townspeople.

She was surprised at how careful he was regularly though, considering his effortless launch of the Chingling earlier. After they found the scarf in Drenched Bluff, the duo headed back to town. It had been quieter in the evening, so their walk was mostly free of town residents as they made their way down to the police station. Silvally had balked when looking up at the building but followed Artemis all the same.

They’d been brought to a small side room, where a Lucario and his son, a Riolu, were waiting. Silvally pulled the scarf out of his Treasure Bag, and set it on the table in front of the two. While the Riolu had been uncomfortable and the Lucario tense, a quick pulse of blue from both of their eyes had the two relax. The use of aura was easily apparent.

The formerly skittish and frightened Riolu walked right up to the table and snatched his scarf back, securing it around his neck in a single motion. Then, the little one walked right up to Silvally and thanked him. Silvally hadn’t replied—he didn’t seem to like talking much—and instead inclined his head to the child, and then looked up to the parent and did the same. Just a soft, slight motion, to not startle skittish Pokémon, but those two didn’t appear frightened at all.

The parent and child duo thanked both Artemis and Silvally, much to the fox’s surprise, and left the room without so much as a negative expression toward the former outlaw. That was a much different reaction than Artemis had expected them to have. Then again, the Lucario line were relatively secretive in how their aura use worked, so they could have just used a calming technique.

Following the meeting with the clients, they went to the front counter of the building to collect their reward, and then, left for the guild. That was how Artemis found herself just watching Silvally, contemplating the day.

Silvally had managed to finish his meal in the brief moment Artemis had been thinking. She blinked and then went in for another bite, keeping an eye on the large Pokémon across from her. He glanced down at his empty plate, then briefly flicked his eyes to hers. He didn’t linger long, looking back to his plate and using a single talon to pick at whatever crumbs were left. Artemis finished her meal relatively quickly after that, concerned Silvally would attempt to take her dinner.

It was difficult to miss the murmuring and quiet voices of the number of apprentices and other exploration teams that resided within the guild. A glance over her shoulder to the rest of the room made it very clear just which table was the topic of conversation. They would attempt to look away quickly when Artemis caught their gaze though, as if they were afraid of being discovered.

Artemis was used to attention, of course. Being a famous explorer had its perks, one of which was that everyone knew who you were and was quick to assist you or offer their assistance. She supposed it was the opposite for Silvally. Being such a well-known criminal for his escapes and long-running freedom from the law brought with it many unhappy Pokémon who knew exactly who he was. None of them knew his name; Artemis didn’t know his name until yesterday. It wouldn’t be long until that information got out though. ‘The Outlaw’ would have a name to put to the face.

After the duo had finished dinner, they poked into Wigglytuff’s office for Artemis to relay the events of today. She brought up how she showed him around town, explored the market, and the details of the mission.

Artemis, however, did not bring up Silvally’s panic in the mission room, nor the negative reception the town had toward him. She was certain they would be one-off instances. Besides, she didn’t want to bring up that the very first day of her task had issues. Artemis would let it sit for a little, and if they became important to deal with, she would mention them. Just not this early. Despite her dislike of Silvally, she would much rather watch over him than some other Pokémon that would get mauled by the powerful criminal.

After dinner and the first of ninety daily reviews—Artemis rolled her eyes when Chatot reminded her how many times they had to do this—Silvally and Artemis made their way to their shared room. Silvally was in front this time, Artemis following behind him. She noticed how he tensed slightly when she slipped in behind him, the reaction from the former outlaw bringing with it that weird swell of mixed emotions from earlier in the day.

She brushed off the mess of thoughts and boxed them all up, shoving them into a corner of her mind to forget about. They didn’t matter anyway. She just had to focus on making sure Silvally behaved himself, did his work, and managed a proper integration into society.

After the results of today, Artemis realized it was going to be a little more difficult than she had hoped. The discomfort around large numbers of Pokémon, the hatred of being touched, and his general unwillingness to speak didn’t spark much confidence in Artemis. She’d need to figure out how much he learned before he took off into the wilderness two years ago.

The hybrid fox huffed as she settled down on her bed, giving a sharp yawn. She stretched out her tails and flexed her paws, laying her head on them, watching Silvally in the bed across from her. Silvally did the same, though without the theatrics, lowering himself down and being careful not to lay on his injured side.

The two faced one another, the beds a fair distance apart. Silvally eventually lowered his head to rest on the edge of the bed, angled toward the fox. Artemis huffed and shifted herself a little, angling her head to the left, so she wouldn’t have to deal with those unnerving and bright eyes on her all night.

Neither spoke to the other, as per usual. Instead, they lay there in the darkness, listening to the sound of the wind through the window. Leaves rustled far below, and in the distance, the sounds of the ocean were able to be heard.

Artemis was the first to close her eyes. She didn’t sleep. Instead, she gradually slowed her breathing and kept her ears angled toward Silvally. She reasoned that if he was going to make a move, he would do so when she was asleep.

So, she waited.

Ten minutes… twenty minutes… thirty… She continued to keep her breathing deep and slow, emulating sleep.

Her ear flicked when she noticed a change in the breathing pattern of the Pokémon on the opposite side of the room. His normally shorter breaths were replaced by deep, heavy breathing. Still, she waited another five minutes, before cracking an eye open and glancing toward Silvally.

He was asleep. No movements or twitching, nor any half-open eyelids or faked breaths. He was out, normally tense muscles relaxed, and powerful paws and talons limp on the bed. Artemis watched him for a long moment, just waiting.

Another fifteen minutes went by, and nothing changed, he was still out.

Artemis took a deep breath, releasing the tension she didn’t realize she was holding. She settled down on the bed once more and closed her eyes. This time, she did sleep, listening to the sounds of the breeze, the leaves, the ocean, and the deep, soft breaths of the other Pokémon in the room.

Chapter Text

…

The world around him shuddered. The surrounding rock cracked and shifted as if it were putty, unable to hold a consistent shape. He struggled to keep balance on his unfamiliar limbs, while the earth seemed intent on throwing him about.  

Walking on all fours felt unnatural and threw off his balance. He longed to stand upright on two legs, but it seemed impossible. Those unwieldy talons and oversized paws hindered his movements. Even if he was in a flat, empty room, he would still be having trouble moving.

His talons and paws—they were all sorts of wrong. 

It didn’t matter. There was no time to get used to this body.

The cave shifted and bucked, and stone split beneath him. He was lifted and slammed into the wall. His helmet hit the rock with a horrendous clang, rattling him. Was the world spinning on its own, or was it his disorientation? It was impossible to tell through the thin slits of his helmet.

A blurry flash of red, gold, and grey streaked by, but when he turned, all he saw was a blank cave wall. Hazy blue and black zipped across his line of sight, followed by red and white shortly after. He whipped his head to face them, only to see a cave wall. A powerful rattle shook the cave and split that wall from floor to roof, pelting his helmet and hide with falling rubble.

He just had to keep going—keep moving away from that horrific place with those things floating in the tanks. He wasn’t going to end up like them. Those floating chunks of meat and metal were a mystery. He was the one that survived and he was determined to keep it that way.

He managed to bring his limbs under himself and pushed again, unfamiliar muscles straining from the effort. Inch after inch, he made his way forward, making slow and steady progress.

He had to duck as a large chunk of stone crashed in front of him, blocking off half the tunnel. A glimmer of light shone from around the edges of the boulder—he was almost out, despite the roadblock.

It would be okay.

Suddenly, it wasn’t.

The world shifted to a grim, sickly shade of purple. Walls and floor fell away around him, leaving him standing on a small platform floating in the middle of absolutely nothing. He dropped to the ground and gripped the surface with all his might, somehow holding on when it started to flip.

Skyscrapers drifted by, trailing glass, those razor-like shards whizzing along, missing him by a hair's-breadth. Vehicles tumbled across the open expanse of space, smashing into one another with horrific screeches of metal. Explosions rolled out from the impacts, lighting up the sky with fireballs.

A smaller rock struck his floating platform, sending the boulder he clutched into a tight spin. Talons and claws sank into stone, holding on for dear life as the world twisted and warped and spun around him.

In the far distance stood massive ruins, pillars and arches standing tall. It was crumbling to pieces, yet it held together—unstable but firm at the same time. Three figures stood at the peak, two of them facing the other.  It was impossible to tell what was happening from so far away, and he could only make out the occasional streaks of red or blue that shot out into the surrounding emptiness.

Then, a brilliant explosion of white erupted in the distance. The universe shuddered, a powerful ripple emanating outward from the three in the distance. All at once, things started falling back into place.

The rock he clutched shuddered, then slammed against another. The motion sent him rocketing off in an uncontrolled tumble. He hit the solid wall hard, pain lancing through his side, and he plummeted downward.

Before he could even hit the ground properly, more stone crashed into existence, creating thunderous noises that shattered the surroundings. The rock rippled and formed itself into a solid once more. All at once, the purple faded, and so did the light within the cave.

He was left alone again, reeling.

The world shuddered around him again.

The cave collapsed.

A sharp, searing pain stabbed him in the back, and a heavy weight crashed down on his helmet, driving his head to the ground. The impact sent him to the cave floor with a thunderous crash, pinning him beneath the rubble. He strained and struggled, clenching his jaw tight, fighting through the pain, trying to force his way out.

The cave rattled again, and more rock poured on top of him, adding to the intense weight on his back. The slight bit of progress he made shifting the rocks vanished under the added rubble. Everything grew darker—dust clouded the air and pebbles skittered between the boulders that pinned him.

He was trapped, mind spinning from the pain and impacts, rattled from the hits. His vision blurred, and everything was a shapeless blob. Still, despite it all, a single beam of light managed to filter through the rocks in front of him.

The surface was just on the other side! If he could somehow get himself free, he could push his way out!

He bunched his muscles and strained against the stone, causing more dust to fall upon him. His whole body shook with the effort, and the sound of stone screeching against stone echoed painfully in the cramped space.

Talons quivered, then slipped, and he collapsed to the cave floor again. All that weight slammed into his back and drove the air from his lungs, leaving him wheezing.

He was going to die here, just after waking up. There were no answers, no explanations, and nobody to help him.

But the exit was right there!

Talons shoved into the ground beneath him again and pushed, his whole body trembling from the effort. Slowly, he rose, higher and higher. The weight upon his back grew heavier, but he continued. The pain was nothing compared to being trapped and withering away, hoping for someone to save him.

This was his only chance, and he refused to die alone in the dark, buried under rock. He just had to keep going.

 Just a little more.

Just a little bit further.

He needed to get out.

Silvally’s eyes snapped open and he took a sharp breath, lurching to all fours. His back leg buckled under the sudden motion. His ribs ached from the rapid breaths, but he barely noticed. He staggered to the side and looked around the room, heart thundering in his chest.

Silver eyes fell upon a bright white coat of fur, flecks of gold littering the otherwise uniform colour. The subsequent rush of adrenaline snapped Silvally from the memories of being crushed. Instead, his fur tingled in recollection of burning and freezing and fighting and running and-

Silvally took a breath. He held it, then relaxed.

Another breath. He shut his eyes and inhaled as deeply as he dared, his ribs twinging with pain.

The room felt too cramped and warm. Silvally opened his eyes and turned toward the window, doing his best to stay quiet as he walked toward it. He was thankful there was at least some grass in the room to soften his movements—he didn’t want to deal with the other occupant right now.

He pressed a talon against the circular window and swung it open. Immediately, cool morning air washed over him and gave a nice jolt to his system. Silvally took a deep, greedy breath of that fresh air, the smells of the ocean and the sounds of nature pulling him from his panic.

He was fine. He wasn’t going to die alone in the dark and crushed beneath rocks. Instead, he was stuck in a town that seemed to hate him for living, with a Ninetales that had hunted him for months.

And he couldn’t do a thing about it.

He huffed.

“You’re not planning on running, are you?” Artemis asked.

Silvally tensed, muscles bunched and talons curled into the stone floor. He shut his eyes and bit back the instinctive urge to whirl and face the threat, or sprint as far as he could.  

Another breath. He exhaled and tried to relax. Artemis was behind him, watching him; that knowledge sent a chill up his spine, which he did his best to ignore.

Finally, Silvally pulled away from the window and backed up, hopping with the movement to keep pressure off his leg. He steeled his nerves and looked toward Artemis.

The fox was lying on her bed, her paws crossed, and her head resting on them. Her red eyes watched him critically, before flicking to the window, then back to him.

“I don’t think you’ll fit,” she yawned and narrowed her eyes. “…Is the sun even out yet? You couldn’t let me sleep just a few more hours?”

Silvally’s ears twitched back but he remained silent. He just watched Artemis, his eyes never leaving her.

She huffed and pushed herself upright, leaning forward to stretch out and wake up her limbs. All nine tails flared out and shuddered, before relaxing to their natural position. Artemis looked at Silvally for a moment longer, then rolled her eyes.

“Doesn’t matter. Early start to the day, I guess. C’mon, get your bag, let’s get going.” Artemis snagged her own Treasure Bag with a deft move of a tail, securing it against her side. “Leave the helmet here, you’re taking up valuable room for no reason.”

Silvally froze and looked at the bag. His helmet sat inside of it, alongside a couple of Oran Berries, and a few rocks. There was ample space for everything, and he didn’t mind the added weight; it hardly bothered him anymore.

“I can’t,” Silvally replied.

“What, you can’t take it out of the bag? You can’t leave it here? There’s no reason to drag around a big hunk of metal when you can use that for-“

“I need it.”

The two stared at one another, red eyes on silver, flicking back and forth. Silvally refused to budge on this. He wasn’t going to leave his helmet here and risk it being stolen, especially not with the way the guild apprentices and other members of the town reacted to him. They could take it to target him, damage it, or do any number of things.

No, he needed it with him at all times.

“…Fine. Whatever,” Artemis huffed, “let’s just go.”

Artemis pushed open the doors to the room and stepped into the hallway, not even pausing in her strides for Silvally. He grabbed his bag and hefted it over his shoulder, quickly following after the fox.

She clearly wasn’t a morning person.

~{O}~{O}~{O}~

Aurum looked up as the bell over his head jingled, announcing his presence to the library. Several heads looked over at the Riolu, and he met their gaze with a smile, before they returned to their books, recognizing him.

The smell of old books assaulted his senses, and the confined, comfy atmosphere of the building settled into his fur. The Riolu wandered his way up to the front desk and set a massive book down with a thud, the sound echoing through the open area. He backed up and dusted his hands off, proud of his work.

“Aurum, are you finished with that already?” The head of an Absol poked over the edge of the desk and looked down. “You just took that book out! It hasn’t even been three days, and- Oh! You got your scarf back!”

“Yeah, Officer Sandshrew told us someone found it last night! She came to the door after you left and let Dad know.” The Riolu held his hands in front of himself and looked up at the Absol shyly. “Did you like supper? I helped Dad make it. We made extra sure that it would be good for you.”

“Of course I did. I think it was one of the best I’ve had,” the Absol said. “I think you did a wonderful job, Aurum.” She grabbed the book from the countertop and set it in a wagon behind the desk.

His tail wagged faster behind him, the gold streak on its tail glimmering in the light, and his ears folded back in embarrassment. He couldn’t keep the smile from his face or the light blush from his cheeks.

“Ack, thank you, Miss Emerald,” Aurum mumbled. “You should come by for dinner more often. Dad seems really happy when you stay over.”

Emerald stumbled at that and crashed into the side of the library counter, sending paper and writing utensils to the floor. The Absol staggered away from the wooden surface and coughed a few times, tripping over the stool, trying to hide the bright blush on her cheeks.

“O-oh! Well then-“ she fumbled for words. Emerald ducked her head down, and hooked her chipped horn into the custom harness for the wagon, struggling with the straps, her paws a little shaky.

“A-ah, well, that’s enough about me! Tell me more about your scarf.” Emerald tried to change the direction of the conversation. She stepped out from behind the counter, pulling the wagon along behind her. “Who managed to find it?”

Aurum fell into step beside her a moment later, the Riolu completely oblivious to the flaming red cheeks of the librarian. Instead, he looked down and fiddled with his scarf, bouncing along with every step.

“Miss Artemis found it with Mister Silvally,” Aurum explained. “I gave them my allowance, ‘cause Dad wanted me to learn how requests work.” He brought his hands together and grumbled a little. “And so that I won’t lose my scarf again…”

“Oh, Artemis did? Well, look at you, getting a famous explorer to find your things. That must make you famous too!” Emerald reached over with a paw mid-step and poked at the Riolu’s side, causing him to giggle.

“Nuh-uh, she was just being nice,” Aurum explained. “Besides, I don’t wanna be an explorer like her or Mister Silvally. I like history.”

“Really? I had no idea. Maybe the thirteen books you read this month weren’t enough to convince me,” Emerald teased.

“You want me to read more!?”

Several chuckles sounded out from around the library, the young Riolu’s voice carrying through the building. Emerald poked her tongue out, and closed one of her green eyes, winking at the younger Pokémon.

“It’s not nice to tease, Miss Emerald,” Aurum pouted. He giggled immediately after—he wasn’t upset at all.

The two turned a corner and wandered down an aisle, leaving the open spaces for the quieter shelves of the library.

“So, you mentioned this Silvally a few times. Who’s that?” Emerald asked while ducking out of the harness. She grabbed the book from the wagon with her teeth and stood on her hind legs. With practiced ease, she slid the book onto the shelf and then hopped back down. A quick duck and twist of her head had the wagon secured once again.

“Oh, he’s new in town. He’s been helping Miss Artemis. Or, at least, I think so—she didn’t seem very happy,” Aurum explained. The two began walking through the library again, weaving between Pokémon and shelving. “Everyone says he’s scary and shouldn’t be helping. He is kinda scary. But I did that aura thingy Dad said to do with new people, and looked at his aura.” Aurum held his paws in front of himself and demonstrated, his paws and eyes glowing blue for a moment.

“Oh? You’ve made progress, I’m proud of you,” Emerald praised.

“Thank you,” Aurum preened. “But yeah, I looked and Mister Silvally seemed nice. He was a little scared, but he felt friendly. He’s also really tall. Like, taller than Dad.” The Riolu hummed and followed behind the Absol. “I think he needs a hug.”

Emerald knew exactly who Aurum was talking about. She kept her thoughts to herself, however. It was obvious that Aurum didn’t know that Silvally was known as a “Bad Pokémon” by some around town. She was going to let him find out on his own though, she didn’t want to influence his feelings on the matter. Besides, Emerald wasn’t in the clear either, considering her own past and record.

Still, she was going to reserve judgment for the new Pokémon until she met him. Her horn had been bothering her a little more than normal recently, and Emerald hoped that this newcomer wasn’t the cause. Still, Aurum seemed to think that this Silvally was a nice Pokémon, and she knew Lucario pretty well.

He wouldn’t have allowed his son close to anyone that posed even a slight threat. Not after what happened to Aurum’s mother.

“Well, I hope you’re right. I think you are though, you’re a smart kiddo,” Emerald said.

She stopped walking and turned, using a paw to ruffle up the Riolu’s head, despite laughing protest. The Absol reared up on her hind legs again and reached for another few books on the shelf, pulling them down one by one and placing them in the wagon.

“Oh! Oh, I forgot, but could I-“

“Ancient Civilizations: People of the Forgotten Cities? Right here.” Emerald nudged a book toward him on the wagon, which he eagerly picked up. “You were talking about it during dinner last night. I figured you’d be coming for it soon.”

“Yeeesssss, thank you Em- I mean, Miss Emerald.” Aurum held the book to his chest and wagged happily. “I promise I’ll bring it back soon!”

“I know you will. I also know you’ll be done with that for the twentieth time in less than a week,” Emerald laughed. “You know, if you want, you can keep-“

“Oh! Right! Dad asked me to go get chalk for him after I got the book! Oh, and we get ice cream when I get back!” Aurum exclaimed, earning several ‘shhh’ sounds from around the library. “Oops, sorry!” he whisper-yelled.

“Well, then you’d better get going, Aurum. Don’t want to keep your dad waiting, do you?” Emerald pushed.

“No, he needs it for school tomorrow. Thank you, Miss Emerald!” Aurum did his best to wave to her while stuffing the large book into his satchel. “Come over for dinner again!”

Without a single glance back, the Riolu took off, his pace more akin to a jog than a walk. He moved as quickly as he reasonably could while keeping his movements quiet to avoid disturbing others.

Another jingle of the bell atop the door signified his departure. Once the familiar rocky surface of Treasure Town’s pathways was beneath his paws, he bolted. His scarf trailed in the breeze, his run causing it to flap along behind him.

Several Pokémon said “hello” or waved to Aurum as he ran by. He did his best to be polite and respond in kind, even while he ran through the familiar street. Little paws carried him along stone sidewalks and gravel paths, over the wooden bridge straight to his second destination.

Kangaskhan Depot. His dad stored the extra classroom supplies here for safekeeping. The last time he tried to store extra utensils in the school, a student broke in and ate them. The young Sableye protested that he hadn’t eaten the chalk… while actively eating the chalk.

His Dad started storing the chalk and other utensils in town. And also brought extra snacks for students—just in case one of them felt peckish and started gnawing on the desks.

Aurum came to a halt in front of the storage depot and made his way up to the front. He stopped a respectful distance behind Farmer Leafeon and Miss Kangaskhan, who seemed to be in the middle of a conversation.

“-this, dear, you already do so much. And Sitrus is so expensive! Can I at least pay you for-“

“Nope, I refuse. If you want to repay me, take some time off. Or maybe recommend people try my tea—most of ‘em don’t even know I have it.” Leafeon interrupted. His ears flicked backward, and he turned his head slightly. “Now, no more arguing, you have another visitor.” Leafeon shuffled to the side and faced Aurum.

“Oh, you…” Kangaskhan grumbled with a smile. “Hello dear, who is this?” She squinted toward the young Riolu.

“Good afternoon, Aurum,” Lefeaon greeted. “Are you having a good day off school?”

“Oh, good afternoon, dear.” The elderly Kangaskhan raised a hand and waved. “Goodness, is it already that late in the week? I’m behind a few days.”

“Good afternoon, Mister Leafeon. Good afternoon, Miss Kangaskhan,” Aurum said. “I’m having a really good day off. I got a new book from the library, and I’m helping Dad before we go get ice cream!” He smiled wide, beaming toward both the older Pokémon.

“Oh yes, one moment dear, I had some chalk prepared for you,” Kangaskhan said. She hobbled off the little raised platform and disappeared into the back.

“Wait- but I didn’t even say what I needed.” Aurum blinked and tilted his head, his ears flopping to one side.

“You always stop by every two weeks to get chalk for your dad,” Leafeon laughed. “He tends to go through it pretty quick. Does he eat it?”

“What? No!” Aurum laughed. “He sometimes throws the little pieces at my book when I’m not paying attention in class though…” The Riolu scuffed his paws on the ground, and his tail twitched behind him sheepishly. “He’s got really good aim.”

“Here it is.” Kangaskhan stepped onto the platform again and passed Aurum down the chalk package. “I swear, your father has enough chalk here to fill a whole storage container,” Kangaskhan laughed.

Aurum blinked and tried to come up with something to respond with. What should he reply with? He didn’t know anything about chalk, or how much his dad needed, or anything like that.

“Oh hey, you got your scarf back. When’d that happen?” Leafeon asked. He noticed the momentary pause and the confused looks from the young Riolu and tried to save him. “I thought you lost that in a dungeon a couple weeks back.”

“Oh! Yeah, Miss Artemis and Mister Silvally found it for me. I paid them some allowance like Dad said for the reward. He said it was so I would learn to be more careful, and understand how the requests work,” Aurum explained.

“Oh, Silvally found that with Artemis? They must be working together better than I reckoned they would.” Leafeon hummed for a moment. “Or… she dragged him along against his will. I could see her doing that too.” He let out a short laugh.

“Nope! They were both cooperating. Or, well, that’s what Dad said their aura told him. Mister Silvally was a little scared and confused though. Dad wouldn’t tell me why,” Aurum explained. “He’s a little scary but he seems nice! He’s really quiet though.”

“Oh dear,” Kangaskhan murmured from her spot. “I can’t believe that… Why did I-“ She cut herself off, and clenched a hand.

“Are you okay Miss Kangaskhan?” Aurum asked. The Riolu perked up his ears, and his eyes glowed blue for a moment.

“Ah ah,” Leafeon interrupted. A vine shot forward and curled around Aurum’s shoulders, spinning him around in a quick circle, interrupting the aura usage. “Don’t you need to get your dad that chalk?”

“Oh! Right! Okay. Sorry, Miss Kangaskhan, sorry, Mister Leafeon, I have to go. Have a good afternoon!” Aurum waved goodbye to the pair and set off again. He glanced over his shoulder to see Leafeon saying something to Kangaskhan, but he couldn’t hear what it was.

Instead, Aurum set his focus on the stairs leading down to the lower path. He jogged forward, weaving around Pokémon with all the grace of a Serperior on fermented Pecha Berries. That is to say, he tripped and stumbled while trying to avoid careening into various legs.

Miraculously, Aurum made it down the stairs without incident, and took a sharp left, making his way back home. He only stopped to talk with his friends a few times on the way, reminding them of their planned time together later that afternoon.

His Dad was buying ice cream, there was no way any of them were going to miss it! It was a weekly ritual; no one skipped out. Aurum made sure to remind Shinx to bring along the ball like always, so they could play after.

Aurum’s paws eventually carried him home. He closed the door behind himself, balancing the box of chalk in one paw, while the other messed with the door lock. With everything properly secured as his Dad taught him, Aurum made his way toward his father’s home office.

“Dad! I got the chalk you wanted,” Aurum announced. He stepped into the organized chaos of the office and smiled at his dad.

“Thank you, Aurum,” Lucario replied. He looked up from over the pile of papers on his desk and smiled at his son. “Give me about an hour or two to get this done, and I’ll take you and your friends out for ice cream, okay?”

“Alright, Dad!” Aurum smiled and set the chalk down in a pile near the door. “I’m gonna go play with my friends, okay?”

“Sounds good. Stay close so I can let you know when I’m done.”

“Okay! See you in a bit, Dad! Love you!”

“Love you too, Aurum.”

~{O}~{O}~{O}~

Artemis growled under her breath as she walked, leading Silvally up the path and away from the police station. The reward they received was paltry and just added to the list of frustrations throughout the day. Two Sitrus Berries? She wouldn’t use them before they went bad—luckily she knew someone who needed them.

But this mediocre reward was just the tail-end of an absurdly irritating day. The inconveniences went on and on as if someone—she glanced at Silvally—was intentionally trying to make things difficult.

Being woken up three hours early was annoying, sure. It was especially frustrating after a string of sleepless nights. A coffee and tea shipment delay left her caffeine-deprived so she couldn’t compensate for the early morning. And, of course, the Outlaw- of course, Silvally refused to leave that oversized chunk of metal at the guild and lugged it around with him, taking up valuable space. It was perfectly safe in their room.  

Just the morning itself was enough to sour the rest of her day. But no, that couldn’t be the end of it. She swore Arceus was laughing at her today.

The mission selection had been questionable at best. Silvally just pointed at the board without even reading the contents, and got them a rescue mission in Amp Plains! She hated that place. It made her fur stick up and gave Pokémon headaches if they stayed for too long.

The rescue mission was another headache—they were supposed to rescue an inexperienced team that hadn’t returned on time.  The team hadn’t returned because the idiots didn’t prepare at all. No Cherri Berries, no Escape Orbs, nothing! And then, when they finally found them, they’d been scared off by the Outl- by Silvally, and ran in different directions!

If Artemis had been teamed up with anyone else, then they could have split up and found them all so much faster. It probably wouldn’t have taken more than ten minutes. But no, she had to be teamed up with a former criminal and couldn’t trust him to not run away at the first chance he got.

They had to go after each of them one by one, and it took almost four hours because they wouldn’t stop running, backtracking, or trying to find each other. One of the idiots even went deeper, headed into Far Amp Plains, and risked the wrath of the Luxray and Manectric tribes!

Silvally was another annoyance to her day. She knew he was better than his performance today. He refused to attack any wild Pokémon unless they were clearly attacking their group which caused unnecessary risks. Artemis had been grazed by several attacks as a result.

The worst part, though? He had stepped around a Mud Trap without warning her! Mud soaked into her fur, made worse by the static in the air, and dried unnaturally fast. She’d been keeping watch around them for the team they were supposed to find, so completely missed the little shift Silvally made to avoid it.

Now she was covered in dried mud and being forced into town. She couldn’t make the rescued team wait while she had a bath in the guild, and there was no way she was going to show Silvally where she lived just so she could clean up. Artemis knew full well that once she finished soaking in the guild bath hall she’d be crawling into bed.

She might as well finish up the daily tasks before going back.

Artemis sent a glance over her shoulder toward the former criminal, and gave a frosty huff, steam wisping upward from her breath. Silvally didn’t even look at her, much to her ire. He just continued staring straight ahead, ignoring the semi-muddy, floofed-up Ninetales. A low growl slipped from between her jaws, and she rolled her eyes, turning her attention forward.

Artemis couldn’t help the annoyance that simmered just beneath the surface, causing her abilities to respond. Her paws left little frosty outlines with every step, creating a very visible trail along the path.

The two took a sharp left upon reaching the crossroads and turned into town. It didn’t even take a minute before they were set upon with looks. More and more Pokémon realized that every time Artemis came around, Silvally was close behind. Those normally adoring and enthusiastic looks turned conflicted and unsure.

That just soured her mood further, and her tails flicked angrily.

She wasn’t a criminal—they didn’t have to look at her like that! She was just being forced to work with a former criminal, who had been running free for two years. Everyone knew his face and had started to learn his name.

“Oh, hey, it’s Artemis,” someone said with a happy lilt in their voice. Zangoose was a familiar sight, and she was always so sweet. They occasionally talked about fur care routines.

Her mood lifted at that; it was nice to be recognized. Well, maybe not in her current state—she looked and felt rough. She bit back her embarrassment when she glanced down at the horrific state of her fur.

“Oh, it’s them,” someone else grumped.

Her head lifted to look to see who said it, but there were at least five Pokémon to the left that could have spoken. None of them looked at the duo for long enough, already walking past the two in the other direction.

Did she do something wrong? Artemis was pretty certain she hadn’t upset anyone in particular with any recent actions. Sure, she could be a little hot-headed sometimes and rushed into some situations, but she was careful with how she acted around civilians. She had to protect them and keep them safe.

They were far too fragile.

“I can’t believe she hasn’t put that thing down yet,” another whispered. “What a poor excuse for an explorer.”

A sharp snarl left her at that. Silvally jumped at the sound and fell behind her a few steps. She glanced back to look at him and then turned her eyes back to the direction of the person who had spoken.

No one met her eyes. Cowards.

It’s not like she had a choice! She didn’t want to be stuck with the Outlaw for- with Silvally for three months and babysit him! Arceus, she had even advocated to lock him up and protested against his light sentence. Why didn’t they understand she was just doing her job?

She didn’t want to do this, but she had to. That, and she promised Mew she’d give him a chance, and, unfortunately, he hadn’t slipped up or done anything that warranted her bringing him in. He just got on her nerves an absurd amount today. That wasn’t a crime, just extremely infuriating.

“Hey, what is your problem?” Zangoose snapped. “She obviously worked hard today, and he helped her. Give him a chance, he deserves it.”

Well, Artemis wasn’t certain he deserved a chance, but he was given one. She appreciated Zangoose standing up for her though—Artemis would have to get her some nice shampoo as thanks.

The defence wasn’t exactly necessary, it’s not like the criticism bothered her… did it? She just needed to do her best, like usual, and good things would follow. This brief span of negativity would turn around, she was sure of it.

Wait, did she want it to? They disliked the Outlaw, right? Not her. She was just being frowned upon by proximity to a criminal she had to help integrate into society.

Stupid Outlaw.

Artemis huffed and flicked her tails. A deep breath filled her lungs, then she exhaled, steam escaping her maw.

She had to keep her cool, it wouldn’t do to snap at the civilians. Her whole goal was to help them and keep them safe. They couldn’t understand everything that happened, and that was okay. They didn’t need to. At the end of the day, they were safe because of her actions, and that’s what mattered the most.

A shake of her head brought her back to reality. She wasn’t sure why she was dwelling on this so much. It didn’t matter anyway. It was only temporary, and she’d spent years helping the people of this continent. Other continents too! She only came back after her parents-

“Miss Artemis! Mister Silvally!” a young voice cried out.

Both Artemis and Silvally jumped from the shout. They’d been listening for the whispers and muttering from before, not someone just blatantly yelling at them.

Artemis realized that she and Silvally were now in front of the plaza of Kecleon Market, their walk through Treasure Town carrying them farther than she realized. A glance to the left revealed the culprit.

It was the Riolu from yesterday, the one with the little gold stripe of fur in his tail. His red scarf was now securely tied around his neck and flowed along behind him as he raced toward the two. Lucario was there too, watching his son with a relaxed expression. The children near Lucario were much less relaxed.

“Wait, Aurum, stop!” a Shinx yelled.

“Aurum, no! That’s the scary Pokémon!” an Abra cried.

“Mr. Lucario, do something!” a Cubone turned toward the larger Pokémon and pulled on his leg.

“Children, it’s fine,” Lucario said. “He’s perfectly safe.”

Artemis watched the small Pokémon approach and moved a tail to prevent the child from having a straight shot at the former criminal.

The Riolu slid to a stop on the gravel in front of the pair and looked up at the two, his tail swishing back and forth. Artemis caught Silvally moving out of the corner of her eye, watching the large Pokémon take several steps back from the excitable child.

“Hi, Miss Artemis. Hi, Mister Silvally. Thank you again for finding my scarf!” Aurum smiled up at the pair. He then whipped around to face his friends who appeared to be torn between crying, running, or darting forward to grab their friend. “See? I told you these two got my scarf back. They’re both really nice. Mister Silvally isn’t actually that scary.”

Artemis bit back a surprised snort at that. Children—no filter whatsoever. Silvally didn’t so much as twitch, and merely watched the small Riolu, his ears tilted forward.

“Aurum, watch your manners.” Lucario shook his head. “Come on now, leave the two alone. It looks like they’ve had a long day.”

“Aw, but Dad! I was going to ask if they wanted to play ball,” Aurum pouted.

Various shouts of disapproval or denial from Aurum’s friends sounded out. The Abra even grabbed the ball sitting on the grass in a pinkish psychic glow, and hefted it up. With a pop of displaced air, the ball vanished.

And fell from the sky, right onto Lucario’s head.

“…Abby,” Lucario sighed.

“Oops! S-sorry Mr. Lucario!” Abby, the Abra, brought her hands up to cover her face and floated lower to the ground in embarrassment.

The whole group, Artemis and Silvally included, watched the ball bounce across the ground. It snaked along the gravel path and rolled straight toward the stairs.

It bounced off the top step.

And bounced again, further down.

And again.

…and again.

All the way to the bottom of the staircase, just whizzing by a Machamp walking down the path toward the beach, who leapt back in fright.

“Uh… I-I’ll go get it.” Abby teleported away.

“Sorry, kiddo,” Artemis interrupted. “I need to go see Leafeon before it’s too late. We can’t stay and play ball.”

“Oh…” Aurum blinked and looked at the two. “If you need to see Leafeon, can Mister Silvally stay and play ball?”

Artemis had to take a moment to process that. The kid wanted to play ball with the Outl- with Silvally, after meeting him yesterday? Silvally wasn’t expecting that either, by the way he pulled back, and his eyes widened. One of his talons raked at the gravel, in what Artemis assumed to be nervousness.

“Er, sorry, um, Aurum?” Artemis was still thrown off and struggled to find a proper answer. “I need to watch him to- it’s my job to watch him, I can’t go too far away without him.” 

“I can watch everyone if you would like,” Lucario offered. He stepped closer toward Artemis and lowered his voice. A paw moved to his side and grabbed a small object that was clipped to his belt. “I might no longer be active, but I was a fairly skilled rescue team leader at one point.”

Artemis glanced down at the offered object, and her eyes widened. It was a Rescue Badge from the Air Continent. And it wasn’t just any badge—it was the Lucario Rank badge. Something reserved for high-ranked explorers, and named in honour of one of the greatest Rescue Leaders of all time.

“Wait, are you-“

“No, definitely not.” Lucario interrupted Artemis with a laugh. “That was my father.”

Artemis looked at the badge, and then back to the Lucario, her thoughts in a whirl. She would love to get away from the Outlaw for just a few minutes and not have to be reminded of him constantly.

But it was her job to watch him.

However, that Lucario Rescue Rank wasn’t just given out lightly. Her Exploration Rank—Master ★★—did outclass his own in the Expedition Society by a fair amount, but it was nothing to just brush off.

Artemis looked to her right, into the Kecleon Market, and set her eyes on Farmer Leafeon. He was in eyesight after all, despite the busy market. It was maybe a three-second full-out sprint if she pushed herself.

Artemis bit her lip, and her tails twitched, indecision running through her mind. Finally…

“Hey, do you want to stay here for a minute while I go talk to Leafeon in the market?” Artemis asked. She turned to Silvally and looked at him intently. “You’ll be in my sight at all times, so don’t think I’m just letting you do whatever you want.”

Red eyes focused on silver, her gaze set on him. She watched as he looked at the group of semi-nervous kids, and a relaxed Lucario. Then, his gaze shifted to the busy market and remained on the many Pokémon for a time, flicking to every Pokémon in the plaza. Finally, his gaze slid to her, and he twitched a little.

Silvally slowly dipped his head in a nod.

Artemis frowned, conflicted, but relented.

“Okay. Alright. Fine. Stay here, and don’t leave my line of sight.” Artemis narrowed her eyes and took a few steps back. “I’m serious. If you do anything-“

“He’ll be fine, Artemis,” Lucario interrupted. “Go on.”

Artemis bit back a retort at being told what to do and huffed. Slowly, she turned herself around, facing away from the group. She took several slow steps forward, her fur on end, feeling as if she were doing something incredibly wrong.

A glance over her shoulder showed her that everyone had already turned away from her. The children were focused on the Abra holding the ball, while Lucario stood a short distance from Silvally, and seemed to be talking to him.

Nothing had immediately gone wrong when she looked away.

Artemis took a breath and turned her attention forward once more. She weaved her way through the Pokémon in the market with skill and precision, not a hair on her body brushing against anyone else.

Was she making the right choice? Lucario could likely handle Silvally for long enough if things went horribly wrong. But this would look bad on her if anything did go wrong. Though, Silvally had been nothing but reserved, if a bit jumpy.

He was also seconds away. Artemis could easily claim she was leading him somewhere and he slipped away. If things went wrong. They shouldn’t… she hoped.

How does someone who’s been on the run in the wilderness for two years even behave in cities? Would he start stealing things easily hidden when people weren’t looking? Maybe he-

Artemis bumped into Leafeon’s stand and blinked in surprise. She’d been too lost in thought to stop in time, and jostled some of the fruits, causing a few to roll. With a brief flair of psychic energy, she nudged the berries back to their original position.

“Oh, Lady Artemis! I humbly-“ Leafeon paused. “Uh… You alright? You look like you took a tumble into a swamp. And brushed your fur the wrong way. And didn’t sleep. And-“

“Community service,” Artemis explained. Her eye twitched at having to interrupt the list of things that were visibly wrong with her. “Mission in Amp Plains.”

“Ah.” Leafeon nodded. “Well, I hope it went okay. Did, er, Silvally-“

“Honestly, I don’t even want to talk about it.” Artemis huffed and turned her attention to the Treasure Bag at her side. The top popped open, and a pink glow radiated out from the bag. Two large yellow berries floated up and out, settling down on Leafeon’s stall. “Here, I know you’re always looking for more Sitrus Berries. This was our reward for the job today. Don’t offer anything for them, I won’t use them before they go bad anyway.”

“Your reward? Whew, must have been a rough one then.” Leafeon wisely listened, took the berries in his paws, and set them in a box behind the stand.

“It wasn’t! It was an easy job. I could have had it done in an hour and then come back for another one!” Artemis huffed. “He made it so much harder than it had to be. Arceus, he didn’t even look at it, he just pointed at the board and grabbed it!”

“I see,” Leafeon hummed.

“No, you don’t. The idiots we had to rescue got scared of him and took off running. And we couldn’t split up for pretty obvious reasons. Oh. And! He didn’t warn me about a mud trap, or go after ferals that were charging us!”

“I thought you didn’t want to talk about it…” Leafeon looked on with a frown, his brows furrowed. One of his paws tapped at the stand, listening to Artemis’s complaints.

“Oh, and of course he woke me up way too early. And! He outright refused to listen to me when I told him to leave his helmet behind to make the bag lighter and free up space. I have no idea why he refuses to listen to me, or even talk to me. He-”

“Did you ask him?” Leafeon interrupted.

“What?”

“Did. You. Ask. Him?” Leafeon stared at Artemis. “Did you ask why he did or does any of that? Do you think there might be a reason?”

Artemis blinked and looked at Leafeon with a raised brow. That was a little more forceful than she had been expecting. But… No, she hadn’t asked. She didn’t need to.

It’s not like it took much reasoning to explain why someone shouldn’t carry around a big chunk of useless metal for no apparent reason. And it was common sense to warn your team members when you spot a trap. Even the issue with ferals! Everyone knew that you had to take them out before they took you out. They were mindless and solely focused on bringing down anyone in the dungeons.

“Well, no, but it’s all common sense. I don’t-“

“Oh for- Artemis. Hun. For the love of Arceus, why don’t you just take a second and ask?” Leafeon leaned over the stall and stared down at the Ninetales. “Do ya think maybe he’s not doing it to be malicious? He’s been out there for, what, two years? You think maybe he picked up some things that are just natural now? You say it’s all common sense. To you, it is—you’ve been learning this stuff since you were little.”

“Why do you care?” Artemis redirected. She was not enjoying the direction this was going, and she wasn’t a fan of how he was talking to her. She wasn’t a child. And she knew he had a point, but…

“I keep forgetting you were gone for a good while. You weren’t here when Emerald came to town. I…” Leafeon sighed. “Look. Pokémon can be cruel. Can. But you’ll find everyone’s better than you think if you give ‘em a chance.”

“You said it was a poor idea to let him do community service,” Artemis retorted. She had no idea why Leafeon was pushing so hard for this. This sudden change of mind threw her off entirely.

“I did. I retract my statement. I’m willing to give him a chance.”

“Why?”

“Because the last time I didn’t give a Pokémon in a similar position a chance, she almost died,” Leafeon answered. “That tends to stay with a person. Also…” Leafeon turned his head, looked past Artemis, and gestured with a paw. “Well, see for yourself.”

Artemis, confused, did as Leafeon asked. She turned herself around and faced the entrance of the market, looking around the various Pokémon standing around, everyone watching the same scene.

Silvally was seated on the grass, his posture upright and firm. One might say it was regal if it was from any other Pokémon. Aurum was to his left, completely unconcerned with the tall Pokémon near him. Lucario was on Silvally’s other side, standing up, and looking at the other children.

Shinx had the ball and stood across from the three, his tail giving an unsure flick. His eyes focused on Lucario, watching the older Pokémon make an encouraging gesture toward himself. Shinx raised a paw, focused on Lucario, and swatted the ball. It rolled across the grass at a lazy pace and came to a stop right in front of the older Pokémon.

Lucario nodded and gingerly kicked the ball across to Abby. The little Abra waited until the ball was in her psychic range, and once it was, a pink glow surrounded it. It twitched back and forth, likely responding to her nervousness. Pink flared brighter around the ball, causing the ball to whip around Abby, and then hurtle toward Cubone.

Artemis could hear the panicked shriek from the little Cubone, who raised his bone club and swung in self-defence. The ball rocketed away and shot straight toward Aurum.

The little Riolu tensed up and looked excited by the high-velocity projectile hurtling toward his face. His body started to glow a light blue, aura radiating off of him. He crouched, and tensed, ready to-

A large, powerful talon shot out, straight toward Aurum.

Artemis froze, and her heart leapt into her throat. She took a cautious step forward, hoping that the worst hadn’t happened. There was a visible jolt through the Pokémon that watched, surprise and concern lacing their forms.

Silvally lowered his foreleg, the ball still in his grip. He had lunged to the side and snatched the ball out of the air just inches from Aurum’s face. Slowly, he pulled back and returned to his spot on the grass.

There was silence for a moment, and Aurum staggered a little from having to abort the aura usage.

Silvally set the ball on the ground, and nudged it with a closed talon toward Aurum. The Riolu glanced down, then looked over toward Silvally with a big smile, and punted the ball straight at his dad.

Lucario deflected the ball in a controlled angle to fall right at Shinx’s paws, starting the cycle over again.

“Artemis, Lucario isn’t going to let anyone dangerous anywhere near his kid. Or any of the other ones.” Leafeon gave a little sigh. “I didn’t trust him with Emerald, and I still regret it. I’m trusting him now. Silvally doesn’t seem to be a bad Pokémon. I went to the station and looked at his record after talking with Aurum. There’s… a lot. I’m giving him a chance.”

Shinx batted the ball forward a little faster and aimed it toward Silvally this time. The small cat looked nervous, but more willing to try.

The ball rolled to a halt directly in front of Silvally. The large Pokémon smiled and looked down, before using a closed talon to gently roll the ball toward Cubone.

“Besides, Aurum there is extremely empathetic. He and Lucario can tell when someone’s not having fun or is feeling negative,” Leafeon explained.

The duo watched the group at play, glancing toward the various Pokémon that stopped to watch, several smiling at the sight while others shook their heads or said something quietly.

Cubone passed the ball toward Aurum, who laughed and stepped forward, kicking the ball in a high, lazy arc toward Abby. She caught the ball in a pink glow and lobbed it toward Lucario.

“I dunno, maybe I’m getting old,” Leafeon said. “But Aurum is all smiles, and Lucario is completely at ease.”

Artemis nodded at Leafeon’s words, her eyes still fixed on the group at play. She followed the path of the ball as it bounced from Pokémon to Pokémon, passing paws, hands, talons, and psychic grip faster with every round.

It didn’t take long for the children to get into the game, running to get the ball and bat it around at odd angles, or jumping into the middle to steal it. Silvally remained seated though, only shifting from his spot to grab the ball if it was just out of reach. He kept his hits light, even when the children were firing the ball around far faster than he did.

Despite his reluctance to really get into the game, or even move beyond what was necessary, he was smiling. It was a small thing, but Artemis noticed it. His ears shifted outward slightly, and his lower jaw was partly open, little fangs sticking out against his firm metallic beak.

Artemis had to admit, he didn’t look nearly as scary now. This was the first time she had actually seen him relax while awake. No tension in his body, or clenched muscles. No small movements or kneading of his talons. It looked like Silvally was just enjoying himself.

Right now, at this moment, he didn’t look like a former criminal. He didn’t look like the Pokémon that had been on wanted posters for two years. This wasn’t some terrifying monster that beat down exploration teams with ease over and over again.

This was Silvally.

Artemis bit her lip, thoughts rolling through her mind, trying and failing to compare her sure opinion of the dangerous criminal she beat into submission, with this… normal Pokémon.

That dangerous criminal she had to subdue to keep Pokémon from getting hurt, and finally brought to justice.

This Pokémon gently playing ball with kids, watching his movement to make sure he didn’t scare the children.

The unbeatable Outlaw that just. Didn’t. Stop. Running.

This normal, relaxed Pokémon enjoying some free time.

Artemis clenched her jaw, and her tails gave an irritated flick. They could keep playing until the kids had to go. Then, she was going straight to the guild with Silvally, cleaning up, and going to bed.

She was going to get to the bottom of everything soon, she was sure of it. Artemis just needed to figure out how.

Maybe Leafeon had a point. She could ask Silvally tomorrow.

There was that thing about the records too…

With the basic structure of a plan starting to form in her mind, Artemis made her way forward. She weaved between the Pokémon that watched, more than a few already moving on when nothing horrific happened to the kids.

Artemis sat down at the edge of the circle, across from Lucario and Silvally, making sure they could see her.

Silvally’s eyes flicked to her, and that tension immediately came back to him. Muscles stiff, movements a little harder, and his smile gone without a trace. His ears perked up and remained forward, focused in her direction.

The children in the group didn’t notice anything and continued playing. Well, except for Aurum. He looked to Silvally for several long moments, as did Lucario. They both returned to the game shortly after, the pause not long enough to be noticeable to the others.

Artemis noticed though.

And while the children on her side happily made room for her to join, her mind was occupied with other things.

Things like the Pokémon across from her.

She idly batted the ball to everyone in the group. Everyone but Silvally. Artemis was waiting for him to pass the ball to her first.

He never did.

Artemis hummed quietly, her thoughts in a tangled mess. She had some things she needed to figure out.

Chapter Text

Artemis padded her way down the dark hallways of the guild, careful to avoid disturbing the other sleeping Pokémon. That long soak in the bath hall had been just what she needed, and she felt refreshed.

It still didn’t get rid of her irritation and confusion, or the mess of thoughts in her head as she tried to figure out her next steps. She’d been tempted to just corner Silvally in their room and get him to talk but realized that wouldn’t be a good idea for… several reasons. Namely, riling up a twitchy former criminal who was physically stronger than her in a confined space.

Bad plan all around, honestly.

She’d been having trouble communicating with him today and was almost at the point of taking drastic measures. Despite the free time and play in the afternoon, Silvally still refused to talk to her. He hadn’t spoken during the time they played with the kids in Treasure Town, or after Lucario had told the children it was time to go home—and threatened them with extra homework if they didn’t listen.

Silvally was silent through dinner too, and ate his meal without a word. It was awkward and annoying to no end because Artemis knew that if she were in his position she’d be trying to figure out everything.

That, and planning an escape.

Artemis did notice how his eyes lingered on her plate again, and he had once again polished off everything on his own. He didn’t go back for seconds, even though there were signs that up to three helpings were provided for everyone (this could technically be split throughout the day too; the guild just kept up with the tradition of calling it “dinner”). They were in bright red paint and posted several times throughout the dining hall, and nearly impossible to miss.

There was no way he could have glossed over them, right? Though, with all the colours and sounds and Pokémon in the room, she could see how he could have missed it the first time or two.

But he didn’t complain, or even say anything about it. He just sat quietly, watching, observing, taking everything in. Artemis could have sworn he was memorizing everything in the room to exploit it for future use, but as she watched him, she realized something.

He never looked back at the same place twice.  

Whenever a new Pokémon entered the hall, Silvally would look at them for a few seconds, and then move on. He didn’t fixate on any particular areas like someone would when they planned on escaping.

She’d cornered her fair share of outlaws in other cities who tried to blend into the crowds, and they’d always look for a way out, even with nowhere to go. They’d constantly look over other paths and glance at places they thought they might be able to run.

But, Silvally just… watched.

After dinner, she’d shown him where the bath hall was. She’d been surprised when he chose to return to their room instead of staying, seeing as he probably felt as gross as she did. There was likely still blood in some of his fur. She’d even waited until the optimal time to go, with the fewest Pokémon in the area. But, she allowed him to leave, merely watching him disappear down the hall and into their room.

She figured she’d extend her earlier trust of him not running, and returned to the bath hall to make sure she was properly clean. She’d been unable to properly maintain her fur due to this criminal rehabilitation thing. Still, it was only for three months. She’d survive. Probably.

Now properly cleaned up, floofy, and feeling much more like herself, Artemis turned toward their shared room. She planted a paw on the door and paused, ears perked. With held breath, she listened, but…

Nothing, just silence.

Ignoring the flutter of worry that Silvally might not be in the room, she pressed on the door and opened it just wide enough to avoid where the wood scraped against the stone. Artemis slipped into the room like a ghost-type and looked at the other bed.

Silvally was already asleep and completely relaxed, taking deep, soft breaths. It was eerily similar to his relaxed state when playing ball with the kids. The only difference was that now his ears were perked up and twitching as if he was listening for danger.

Artemis focused her attention on her treasure bag and made her way to the corner where she set it. With practiced dexterity she wriggled her badge free from the pocket on the side and used a tail to sweep in and scoop it up. It was better to avoid having the piece of metal clatter on the stone and risk waking him.

As much as Artemis wanted to collapse into her bed and just pass out, she had work to do. Namely, she had research and information to find, and Leafeon had given her the perfect place to start.

And she really wanted to forget about the whole plan, curl up, and pass out. Darn responsibilities.

With her badge back in her possession, Artemis turned and left the room, silent as she entered. One of her tails moved back to snag the door handle and shut the door soundlessly. Now, for the next part of her brilliant plan.

Her destination was the Guildmaster’s office. Room. Thing. Whatever it was they were using the room for at any given point in time. Artemis wasn’t sure if Wigglytuff even had a bed in the guild. Or if Chatot did for that matter. Whenever she tried to question them, Wigglytuff would go on about sleepovers and spooky stories, and Chatot would mutter something under his breath and change the topic.

Some mysteries even she couldn’t solve.

With a casual tap of a paw against the door just to be polite, Artemis walked into the room, the doors still wide open.

Wigglytuff was facing away from her and seemed to be looking out of the window. Or, he could be sleeping. Honestly, he might even be communicating with some Pokémon of Legend. She could never tell at any one point what the Guildmaster was doing unless he had his Perfect Apple—at that point, he was hyper-fixated on the food.

However, the one she needed for her plan to work was still wide awake, and approaching her.

“Oh! Well, hello, Artemis! Is everything alright? Where is the Outlaw? You already came to deliver your report earlier, did you have something to add?” Chatot asked. He hopped forward and tilted his head.

“Mhm, everything is just fine. I just need to ask a favour,” Artemis replied. One of her tails curled around and pressed her badge against her foreleg. She leaned down, and with a quick tug of her teeth, secured her badge to her leg.

It definitely couldn’t fall off if she wanted her plan to work…

“Well of course, what can we assist you with? It must be important if you came here for help.” Chatot hopped a little closer, concern lacing his features. “I knew bringing the Outlaw was-“

“I need you to babysit and make sure he doesn’t leave our room,” Artemis interrupted.

Then, she bolted. She darted for the door, paws pounding the floor, her tails already a flurry as she left the Pokémon behind.

“Wh-what!? No! Absolutely not! I have paperwork I need to do, and the Guildmaster-“

“Okaythanksbye!” She skidded sideways, then shoved forward, already running for the stairs. She heard the aggravated squawk from Chatot, as well as the absurdly loud gasp of excitement from Wigglytuff.

“Chatot! This is great! We can have a sleepover and tell scary stories and stay up late and-“

“Absolutely not! Do not encourage her deviant actions!”

Artemis was already long gone. She bounded up the steps and ducked out of the guild entrance, using a short burst of energy to put distance between herself and Chatot.

It was better to ask for forgiveness than permission from him, and she had abused that relentlessly when she was still an apprentice. He always said “no”, but he’d also forget why he was mad when someone else did something to annoy him.

Her paws carried her down the stairs and she glanced over her shoulder just to make sure she wasn’t being pursued by an angry bird—or an excited and giddy Wigglytuff.

Nothing. She was free to escape.

Artemis bit back a laugh and carried on to her destination, running down the steps so fast that one might think she was falling.

Once at the bottom she slowed to a walk and took a breath, the crisp air of the night filling her lungs. She looked upward, her gaze on the bright moon and the cloudless night sky. A soft breeze rolled in from the ocean, carrying with it the smell of salt water, and a pleasing chill that drifted through her fur. It was a rather pleasant night, and it was more than worth the risk of irritating Chatot to go out.

Artemis continued her way south through the crossroads, glancing left to look at the dark expanse of the wilderness. Briefly, she tried to entertain the idea of what it would be like to live out there like her “companion”. No responsibilities, no worries, nothing to be burdened with.

No civilized Pokémon to talk to, the rare opportunity to encounter a trader in the dungeons notwithstanding. There wouldn’t be a reliable source of food, and any Pokémon in the wild could choose to attack without warning. No safety at the end of the day except for what someone could carve out for themselves from the world around them.

She huffed and turned away, disliking that idea. She much preferred her old ways of adventure and hunting criminals: wandering from city to city, taking rests between each of them, hunting down the top criminals in an area or exploring new dungeons before continuing on her travels.

That sounded much better. The chance to explore the world and to help out Pokémon. The willingness to visit small towns where no one else would go, just to help them with their problems and then take off once more.

She kind of missed it. Still, she had her own job to do here on the Grass Continent, besides dealing with the bump in the road which was Silvally. Three months? She could have spent that time hunting or trying to gather clues.

Not that she’d had much luck in the last two years anyway. She’d only taken that mission to hunt Silvally down to distract herself briefly. After every team came back defeated, it just raised the risk of other criminals running rampant with the other explorers out of action. So, she’d taken it upon herself to deal with it once and for all, so that she could get back to-

Artemis blinked and jolted to the right, just stepping to the side to avoid running muzzle-first into a tree. She took a sharp left down the path of the dark forest and angled toward her destination, which gleamed brightly between the thick woods.

The police station.

Her eyes flicked up to the heavy metal gate that loomed in the doorway, ready to drop with the pull of a lever. Modern safety sure was a wonder. It was also slightly terrifying.

The guild had one installed too, and had someone keeping watch over the guild at all hours of the day. That had made it so much easier to run missions in the odd hours of the night and let her sleep in.

She hated waking up early.

Due to the late hour, the station was nearly silent. Officer Sandshrew sat at the front desk working through some paperwork, while a Shelgon sat on one of the plush pillows laid out around the waiting area—it looked like it was being consumed by the pillow, and its legs were off the ground. Was it stuck? Should she ask, or would it take offence?

Dragons were hilariously prideful.

“Good evening, Officer Sandshrew,” Artemis greeted. She made her way to the front desk, and planted her paw—and badge—on the desk for the officer.  

“Oh, good evening, Artemis. What can I do for you?” Officer Sandshrew gave her a polite, if tired smile, and leaned forward. She grabbed the badge, unclasped it, looked it over, and then secured it back to Artemis’s foreleg.

“I need to go to records and get a file.” Artemis withdrew her paw from the counter. “I need to do a little research.”

“Of course. You still remember the way?” Officer Sandshrew hopped down from her platform at the counter, and several moments later, a gate to the side opened up.

“I do, thank you, Sandshrew.” Artemis padded forward and stepped through the gate. “Have a good evening.” She didn’t look back and instead picked up the pace, her paws quiet across the stone floor. Step after step took her further from the Pokémon, and she held her breath, hoping that-

“Oh, Artemis!” Officer Sandshrew called.

Artemis came to a halt, her claws digging into the floor from her sudden stop. Her ears folded back, and her tails dropped. Her chest tightened and her heartbeat picked up with anticipation.

All she wanted was some good news. Please, just a little good news. Say something was found, or that there’s a letter, or anything. She didn’t need to be reminded again.

“…Yes?”

“We put extra notices out among the smaller islands, and there’s more rewards for verifiable information. Every single continent knows,” Sandshrew said. Her tone shifted to something soft. Maybe pitying. “We’re going to find your parents, I promise. It’s the least everyone can do for you, and them.”

Artemis clenched her jaw. Her claws tensed and scraped along the stone beneath her paws, leaving little white marks on the surface. With effort, she forced her tails to continue their natural flowing and swaying, relaxing them from their stiff position.

“Thank you.” Artemis’s voice was quiet, so she repeated it, louder this time. She didn’t turn to look at the smaller officer, ignoring her in favour of walking forward.

That had significantly dampened her willingness to do anything else tonight and sucked the energy right out of her. She had planned on staying up to research, and maybe go for a walk to think things over after that. Now though?

She just wanted to crawl into bed and sleep. Forever if possible.

Artemis walked down the hallway, keeping to the right to avoid a pair of Magneton that hovered by. Her paws carried her onward, even if she wasn’t focused on her destination, her mind a little numb from the unfortunate reminder.

“GOOD EVENING, ARTEMIS.” Chief Metagross’ voice drilled into her head, snapping her attention upward. She winced at the mental volume and the pressure on her mind but ignored it.

“Good evening,” Artemis replied. She looked around and found herself in front of the records room. It looked like Metagross was the one on sorting duty tonight. “I was hoping I could get a copy of Silvally’s file. The full version,” she explained.

“ACKNOWLEDGED. PLEASE PRESENT YOUR IDENTIFICATION.”

Artemis bit back the urge to push against the mental force worming into her mind. Instead, she complied and raised her foreleg. A pink glow surrounded the badge, and it was torn from her leg. The badge floated in front of Metagross and spun around once, before zipping back to her leg and securing itself again in a single fluid movement.

“THANK YOU.”

Artemis sat down in the hall and looked around Metagross into the room. Many shelves lined the room and stood in tall rows that reached to the ceiling. These shelves were where the publicly accessible records were kept, and had certain information censored. At the very back of the room stood a thick metal grate, behind which stood the full records.

Metagross hovered forward and several pulses of psychic energy radiated off the metal Pokémon. The two waited for a moment, both staring at the metal grate. Then, a bright flash of pink and blue appeared out of thin air.

It was a Porygon, an odd bird-like Pokémon. In its grasp was a metal tube, which very quickly hurtled toward Metagross. In a single fluid motion, the metal tube was opened up, and multiple sheets of paper were pulled free from the confines. Artemis blinked and watched as the paper cycled in front of Metagross, its eyes twitching from page to page.

In mere seconds, the police chief finished reading the file. A low metallic hum left the Pokémon, and all of the paper was rolled up and shoved back into the tube.

Artemis sat still as the metal tube hurtled toward her face, coming to a stop directly in front of her muzzle. She blinked, unphased, and entirely used to the straight-forward antics of Metagross.

“HERE IS THE CLASSIFIED FILE. PLEASE REMEMBER THESE ARE CONFIDENTIAL AND FOR HIGH-RANKED MEMBERS OF THE EXPEDITION SOCIETY ONLY. IF A POKÉMON VIOLATES CHAPTER THREE, SECTION G, PARAGRAPH-“

“Don’t worry, I have no intention of letting this out of my sight. I’ll burn them if there’s a threat of it falling into the wrong hands, just like the book says,” Artemis interrupted, placating the strict police chief. She didn’t have the energy to listen to the chief carry on about the rules. Not tonight.

“ACKNOWLEDGED. HAVE A PLEASANT NIGHT.”

Artemis leaned forward and snatched the tube in her jaws. She looked at Metagross and gave the Chief a nod, before turning her attention back toward the front of the building.  

With her goal complete, Artemis made her way back out of the police station, giving a nod goodbye to the Sandshrew at the counter. She could have carried the metal tube in her tails, but holding it this way typically let Pokémon know she was busy and she couldn’t talk.

It also just allowed her to get away with not talking to people she came across in general. Right now, she was in no mood for casual conversation. She barely cared about the papers in her jaws.

All Artemis wanted right now was to go home and sleep.

But… She couldn’t.

She stepped out of the trees and glanced to the left, her eyes following the path down to the beach. After the short conversation earlier, she wanted to go back to Sharpedo Bluff and sleep somewhere familiar and comforting. To relax in her own home, enjoy the familiar smells and sights, and just enjoy one of the only places she could fully relax.

Artemis huffed around the tube between her jaws and turned to the right, beginning her walk back toward the guild.

After everything that happened today, she was drained. Early morning, frustrating mission, confusing afternoon, and draining evening. She was done.

Along the path she went, through the crossroads, and then up the agonizingly long staircase up to the top of the guild. She was tempted to use the little secret entrance/exit into the guild’s storage and then up through the kitchen storage to get back into the guild, but she’d already upset Chatot once today. She’d rather not risk it further.

Sooner than Artemis realized, she had made it to the bottom floor of the guild. The Guildmaster’s room was empty, and the reason for that was soon clear. Chatot and Wigglytuff were standing in the hallway and watching the door to her room.

Well, Chatot was watching. Wigglytuff was completely focused on Chatot and appeared to be telling scary stories, while he was repeatedly hushed by the bird.

“…so then Dusknoir grabbed the two of them and dragged them through the portal, kicking and-“

“Guildmaster. We were both there. Please, lower your voice.” Chatot sounded like he was already close to losing his mind. “We’ve had three Pokémon look out around the corner to see what all the racket is.”

“Our friends wanted to hear the spooky stories too!”

Artemis weaved her way between the pair, mumbling thanks around the metal tube. One of her tails waved by to ruffle up Chatot’s head feathers, much to his ire and aggravated protests.

“Have a good night, friendly friend,” Wigglytuff hummed. “Sleep well, there’s plenty of adventures tomorrow.”

And just like that, Artemis was free to go. Not because she had escaped Chatot’s ire, but because Wigglytuff grabbed the poor bird and started dragging him back toward the office.

“Wh-what? Guildmaster, we need to- Ack! No! I need to tell that deviant that she cannot-“

“Come on, Chatot! We’re gonna keep telling scary stories, and make a fire, and-“

“No! No campfires in your office! Guildmaster, we talked about this, you cannot-“

“Oh, and marshmallows! There are marshmallows, Chatot—let’s go have fun!”

“Artemis! You haven’t gotten away with this! I’ll make sure that you-“

The Guildmaster’s doors shut with a resounding thud, the sound of Chatot’s protests and Wigglytuff’s excited ramblings cutting off in an instant.

Artemis blinked and stared down the hallway where the two had vanished. Her tails gave a hesitant flick, and she waited for something, anything, to happen.

…

Nope, nothing.

She still didn’t get their partnership, or the reasons behind their antics. Not even after all these years of knowing them.

Artemis wheeled around and walked back toward her room, using her paw to gently work the door open. The door was just wide enough to let her slip through without making any grinding noise against the stone.

Once again, she looked around the room as she habitually did. The window was still closed, her corner was undisturbed, and Silvally was awake.

Artemis jolted a little, not expecting to see those bright silver eyes staring at her out of the darkness. She swore she’d been silent. Though, Chatot and Wigglytuff’s antics could have woken him up, now that she thought about it.

Seeing as he was awake, a twist of her head and opening of her jaws had the metal tube soar across the room, bounce off the wall, and land on the grass beside her bag, not at all silent. A moment later, she loosened the band of her badge and flicked her foreleg, causing the metal to fall in almost the same spot.

Artemis turned around, and without any hesitation flopped onto her bed, displaying none of the grace her species was known for. She huffed, and shifted around, wriggling a little bit to get comfortable. Her eyes flicked to the right, catching Silvally staring at her.

“What?” she snapped.

Silvally winced from the tone, and his ears flicked backward. Still, he persevered, and his eyes flicked toward the badge and tube, before looking back at her once again.

“Oh.” She blinked. “I had to go get something for research. Nothing you need to worry about, it’s just something I need to study,” she explained.

Silvally blinked at her once, twice, then nodded his head the slightest amount.

“Why do you do that?” Artemis asked, annoyance lacing her voice.

Silvally tilted his head to the side, and his ears perked forward, curious. Artemis didn’t miss how his talons started to brush and knead the bedding, tearing at the straw and other materials without even realizing it.

“You just nod or point, you don’t say anything. I know you can talk; you told me not to touch you, and you said you needed your helmet. And, you spoke to Mew without any prompting. Why?”

“It hurts,” Silvally explained. He winced a little and huffed, his jaw clenching.

Artemis heard his deep, scratchy voice and thought through his words. It hurt. Talking to her? Talking in general? Did it hurt him emotionally or physically to talk to her? Maybe trauma from a younger age, or something else affecting him?

“…What does?” She finally asked. “Talking? Just in general?”

Silvally nodded.

“Oh.” Artemis blinked and tried to put that all together. Her ears twitched backward, guilt scratching at her chest for the first time in a while, getting frustrated with a Pokémon that couldn’t talk without pain. Why didn’t she pick up on that sooner?  

The two looked at one another in silence, silver and red eyes meeting. Silvally’s gaze shifted away after a moment, as if unable to meet her eye for longer than a few seconds. Artemis looked him over, head to tail, trying to find all those fights and battles with that violent criminal in the Pokémon currently laying there, who just hours ago had been playing ball with kids.

“…Sorry if I woke you up,” Artemis managed. Even if he wasn’t willing to apologize for waking her up early in the morning, she might as well show she wasn’t being malicious and hadn’t meant to wake him.

Silvally just nodded, his eyes flicking back to her for a moment, and then slipping away again.

Well, that was awkward. Still, it was the most willing conversation the two had since they met. Artemis wasn’t taunting him into making a mistake in battle. He wasn’t asking her not to touch him and wasn’t protesting anything. She wasn’t trying to aggravate him.

Artemis didn’t have the energy to try and be aggressive toward him to get him to slip up even if she wanted to. Not that she did. She was too curious now and had to learn more about what happened. She didn’t believe Mew completely. Not that she didn’t trust her, but it was too unbelievable.

How could he have just lost all memories up until two years ago? How did he manage to fend off exploration teams trying to bring him in time and time again? How did he learn to avoid everyone and how to scavenge for food in the wild? Why did he use dirty tricks when fighting, and only chose to run? Why was he so tense around her, and gentle with the kids?

No, now she was invested.  If nothing else, it would distract her from the knowledge that she couldn’t continue her search because she was stuck with him. Might as well turn her thoughts to something productive in the meantime.

Once this was over, she could get back to her hunt.

“I…” Artemis bit her tongue. Not now. Too many questions would feel like an interrogation. She needed to read that file to get the full understanding before she could dig for answers. “… Goodnight.”

Artemis turned away and laid her head on her paws, facing the door. It was a habit of hers to face the doors or open areas wherever she slept. She knew who was behind her, but had no idea who could be behind the door if it opened—better safe than sorry.

Artemis closed her eyes, content to let her thoughts wander.

“Goodnight,” Silvally managed to say, followed by a small cough.

Artemis cracked open an eye and turned her gaze back to the large Pokémon. He was already settled in though, eyes closed, curled in on himself with his back to the wall.

She wasn’t expecting that. Not in the slightest. Maybe she’d be able to get some answers out of him willingly after all.

Artemis closed her eyes and took a breath. Darkness washed over her, pulling her into a deep, comforting sleep.

~{O}~{O}~{O}~

Silvally glanced to the side, lingering on the sleeping form of Artemis, before he returned to his idle drawings. He dragged his talons through the dirt and rock beside his bed, doing his best to stay quiet while he waited.

He’d been up for a while now and he really didn’t want to upset Artemis more than necessary. She’d complained about lack of sleep yesterday, and then she was out late last night. He might as well let her rest.

Besides, a late start to the day meant he could rest his joints and not have to worry about dealing with everything outside of that door. No aggressive Pokémon in Treasure Town, no weird looks from the guild members or townsfolk, and no tiptoeing around Artemis to make sure he didn’t upset her.

It was weird. He thought he’d been relatively lonely out in the wilderness without someone to talk to, but found he was just as isolated here. Other than the exploration teams trying to bring him in, the only others he’d met in the wilderness who spoke tended to be cruel.

That, or ran away screaming.

There’d been a few unsavoury sorts out there. Some of them would hunt down wild Pokémon and laugh about it. Others would run into him and look surprised, before trying to take him down as well.

That never tended to end well for them, and they learned to avoid him after that.  

There was one dragon-like Pokémon who didn’t walk away from that fight, despite Silvally giving him plenty of opportunities to flee. It seemed as if it hadn’t expected him to know how to change his typing, and had no backup plan other than bathing him in an absurd amount of fire.

This was before Silvally had met Artemis, and gained an aversion to fire. He wasn’t scared of it! He just would prefer not to be near it if he could help it. A healthy distance between himself and hungry flames was always the best course of action.

Silvally looked down at the dirt he was scratching up and realized he had drawn out that Pokémon he had fought about half a year back. Big wings, a rounded torso with large scars across it, and a tail ending with blazing fire. That, and those hateful eyes that glared back at him.

He let out a quiet huff and shifted himself to the side, moving to a clean patch of dirt and stone to draw in. Now, what should he draw? Something simple, ideally. He didn’t want to move too much to get it looking halfway decent, so something easy like a landscape should do it.

A mountain should be a good enough start. Yes, a mountain in the far distance, with two other ones behind it, poking up into the sky. Then… Water. At the front, near the point of view of the image stood a small body of water with…

Trees! Yes, small trees that spread out to the sides, and grew higher the further back they went, creeping toward the mountain. He brushed his talons over the lake, creating little waves that lapped at the shore.

Silvally stared at the scene, and narrowed his eyes. Something was missing from it; he was sure of it. There should be something there, right in the middle. But there was just an empty space in the center of the drawing instead.

He drummed his talons and brushed them through the middle, just letting his mind wander. There was an itch in his mind, telling him that something belonged there. But what? A statue perhaps? A small building? Maybe some kind of structure sitting in the middle of the water that-

Artemis shifted and let out a loud huff. The noise startled Silvally, who’d been incredibly focused on letting something take shape. His talon jerked forward in surprise and carved three deep gouges into the scenery he’d drawn.

Well… There went that idea. His train of thought slipped from his clutches like water, leaving without a trace.

Silvally took a breath, and looked over toward the sleeping fox. Her breathing was still deep, and her body still, save the rise and fall of her chest.

His eyes flicked to the sunbeam that had managed to creep its way up her body and finally hit her eyelids. That was likely what’d caused her to move. It was annoying to be sure, and he knew he’d probably have woken up if-

Red eyes snapped open and locked onto Silvally.

He jolted and his gaze jerked to the side, settling on Artemis’s bag in the corner, and the metal tube she’d brought in last night.

The fox sat up, and looked around the room with a squint, blinking heavily. She let out a loud, sharp yawn that raised in pitch at the end, then shook her head, as if trying to force herself awake. After several long moments, and a rather large stretch, she returned her gaze to Silvally. Then, her eyes dropped to the drawings scratched into the floor around his bed.  

“You’ve been up for a while,” Artemis observed.

Silvally looked to the spot the sunlight had been on the wall when he first woke up, and followed the distance, all the way to Artemis. With some quick math and a rough estimate of time, he replied.

“Three hours,” Silvally said.

“Oh.” Artemis blinked and stepped from her bed.

She sent a glance at her bag, and a pink glow enveloped it. Her badge zipped into a side pocket, and the metal tube slipped into the main pouch. With a single fluid move of her tail, her bag was secured once again.

Silvally moved to follow, pushing himself up with a soft grunt, ignoring the small twinges of pain in his legs. He grabbed his bag, and when he heard no protest from Artemis, moved a step closer.

His paws and talons trampled over the drawings he made earlier on, but that didn’t matter—he could always make more. Talons raked through the dirt and over the stone to mess it all up and leave him a blank canvas to mess with later on when they returned.

A pink glow enveloped the door handle, and Artemis stepped forward. Suddenly, she stopped and turned back to face Silvally, a conflicted expression on her face.

“…Thank you,” she managed, “for letting me sleep.”

Silvally met her eyes for only a second, and nodded. His eyes shifted away soon after, unable to hold her gaze for long.  

“We’re going to have a late start now,” Artemis huffed, and let out a soft laugh. “Come on, let’s go figure out what we’re doing today. Hopefully, nothing to do with Amp Plains.”

With that, Artemis stepped from their room and into the guild hallways. Silvally followed behind, flicking his gaze down the hallways as soon as he was out.

There were nearly a dozen Pokémon within his line of sight, and all of them looked over toward them when they heard their room door close with a thud. He was used to the glares and conflicted looks sent toward him—he was more than certain he’d fought off a number of them at one point in time.

What he wasn’t used to was the smile that was sent his way, or someone else throwing him a wave when he looked at them. That kind of positive reaction was entirely unexpected.

How was he supposed to respond? Did he wave? Were they just trying to trick him into thinking they were nice? Maybe they were nice and he was overthinking things? Were they expecting him to say something?

Instead of doing any of those things, he just pushed it from his mind and followed Artemis. She, for some reason, darted by the Guildmaster’s office.

When Silvally looked through the door to see why, all he managed to spot was an angry Chatot quickly approaching. Not wanting to interact with the unusually aggressive bird, Silvally also surged forward, quickly following Artemis up the stairs.

The two came to a stop in the mission room once again, the layout more than familiar to Silvally by this point. He sat down in front of the boards—with a healthy distance between himself and Artemis.

“Alright, go ahead and pick something. Make sure it’s not too tedious,” Artemis instructed.

Silver eyes trailed over the multitude of pages on the board, halfway down the room and further. The writing was in an odd mix of letters and pawprint shapes that had no discernable pattern to them. He had no idea what they said, and couldn’t even begin to attempt to figure it out.

That was more than a little frustrating. He glanced to the side and found Artemis’s attention not on the mission board, but on him. She was watching his movements closely as if waiting for something. 

Finally, he pointed to a rather blank-looking page and figured that one should be relatively simple.

“What? You want to take down a whole crime gang set up inside Inferno Cave?” Artemis asked.

Silvally recoiled at that and shook his head vehemently—he didn’t want to be anywhere near a place called Inferno Cave.

His talons immediately shifted to some other space on the board, far from what he had originally pointed at. Confusion and panic filled his mind. He could have sworn the criminal boards were on the other side of the room.

“I knew it! You can’t read, can you?” Artemis asked. She wheeled around to face him properly, seemingly unaware of the attention she drew from her outburst. “That’s not what that one says at all.”

“I can read,” Silvally protested. Still, he winced, not at all enjoying being called out, or being tricked like that. “I don’t know-“ he coughed, and moved a talon up to rub his throat. “…Don’t know these.”

Without being prompted, Silvally stood up and took several steps back, limping only a little bit—his back leg was almost healed. He pressed a singular talon into the compacted dirt and rock of the floor and started dragging his talon through it.

Long lines formed, and sweeping curves carved themselves into the rock. He ignored the loud screech of metallic talons scraping stone and continued. A space. More curves, combinations of short and long lines, and all the letters he needed to finish his writing.

“I can read,” Silvally said. He gestured to the carved-up floor and pointed to the words. ‘I can read.’ was written on the ground, clear as day.  

…

“What is that?” Artemis asked. “I have no idea what that is. It looks like scribbles.” She squinted and stepped forward, inspecting the lines closely.

Silvally backed away from her, his crest flattening and his ears folding back. He knew he wasn’t making it up. That’s what it said! He was so certain of it…

Artemis’s reaction had him worried though, and a pit formed in his stomach. An odd feeling settled inside him. Was it anger? Shame? Embarrassment perhaps? He couldn’t tell what he was feeling, but it felt wrong.

“I… But that’s-“ Silvally coughed, and grimaced. “That’s what it says.”

If Artemis was as worldly as he’d heard about her, and she hadn’t seen this… why did he know it? Silvally knew this was right and he was confident about what he’d written out. But the way she looked at it, and then to him, as if he was some blatant liar…

“For all I know, you could be making it up,” Artemis said with narrowed eyes.

Frantically, Silvally threw his Treasure Bag to the ground and tore open the top, moving the contents around to get at what he needed.

He wasn’t crazy. None of this made sense. Maybe this was just a thing in this part of the world. Maybe other continents had different writing styles. That made sense, right? It sounded like it was possible.

Silvally’s talons grasped the edges of his helmet and he pulled, heaving the heavy object out. He set it down on the floor with a thud, and worked his talons over it, looking for the word etched into the bottom, close to where it sat on his neck.

“There, see?” Silvally pointed to a spot on the helmet and stepped back. “Silvally,” he said.

Artemis glanced up at him with a skeptical gaze and looked at him for an uncomfortable few seconds as if searching him for answers. Then, she leaned in, and narrowed her eyes, looking at the small text on the helmet.

Silvally watched Artemis with bated breath. He wasn’t crazy. He wasn’t sure how he knew this, but he knew. It felt right. This whole situation was wrong and weird and didn’t make any sense.

“…That doesn’t mean anything.” She tilted her head and squinted as if trying to get a new angle on it. “Maybe there’s a pattern there? Whatever it is, it’s not something I’ve seen.”

The idea that he was stuck with only talking as a method of communication bothered him. What if his voice just gave out one day because of his weird body? What would he do then? He couldn’t just rely on having someone around who could read his mind all the time—that sounded awful and inconvenient and invasive and-

Did this mean he couldn’t read anything that was written here? Why did he understand everyone fine, but now he couldn’t read the same words he was speaking? Why did this even bother him? It’s not like he’d put much thought into reading while out in the wilderness anyway. There was too much running and fighting and surviving and hiding and-

“-you listening? You zoned out.” Artemis broke him from his thoughts, one of her tails waving up and down in front of him, still leaving a healthy distance between the two.

Silvally looked up again, meeting her red eyes, and took a breath, trying to relax. It’s not the end of the world. He’d learn. He was good at that. Or, he thought he was. What was he good at? Other than running and fighting and adapting to new places, what could he claim?

Building shelters? Bushes and sticks barely counted.

Learning what the seeds, orbs, and berries did? Trial and error, no skill involved.

Swimming? Fighting? Surviving? Necessities.

He could barely claim half of the things he did were his own though. His body just did things sometimes. He didn’t understand how he gathered power in his claws, or how he changed the kind of energy flowing through him. None of it made sense, and though he could do it, he understood none of it.

“Hey, you’re doing it again,” Artemis huffed. She backed away and sat down across from Silvally, looking over him intently. “I swear this is getting more annoying and complicated each day…” She muttered to herself, trailing off, mumbling something for a few seconds more.

Silvally did what he always did when he was thinking too hard or panicking: balled up those thoughts and shoved them into an empty corner of his mind to explore when he had time. Now was not the time to be having some kind of crisis. Now he had to navigate mission selection and figure out some way to learn how to read these odd paw-prints and awkward symbols.

The problem was figuring out how to do that when his every step was meant to be either alongside Artemis or only to specific spots in the guild. Maybe the guild had a library? But then how would he-

“Okay. Well, I think we have a new plan now.” Artemis interrupted his thinking once again.

He needed to stop doing that.

“We’re going to take the mission you picked. It’s in Oran Forest, the hospital needs more berries for medical paste. After that, we’re going to the library in town, and I’m going to figure out how I’m going to teach you to read. Er, read Modern Print, not whatever… whatever that was.” Artemis rolled her eyes, and her tails gave an annoyed ripple. “I’m supposed to make sure you can fit in properly, which means you need to be able to read. Then later on you can learn the laws most civilized Pokémon follow, and then…” Artemis tilted her head and raised a foreleg in some kind of shrugging motion. “I guess we’ll figure it out.”

Silvally nodded in response—he wasn’t sure what to say, or if he should say anything at all. It made sense, he needed to be able to read this new language. Old language? Variation of the language he could already understand?

Wait, why did he need to? He was leaving town and heading back into the wilderness after all this was over anyway. There wasn’t any reason for him to stick around. He just needed to finish up his service so he wouldn’t be hunted down again, and then he’d be free to live in peace.

Silvally leaned down and snatched up his helmet in his jaws, hefting the heavy object up. Using his talons, he adjusted his Treasure Bag and shuffled the contents out onto the floor. Moments later he lowered his head and worked the bag over the helmet, causing it to lose half its weight in an instant.

These things were weird. He’d have to ask about that as well if the opportunity ever came up.

Silvally glanced up once again, catching Artemis just watching him, as if she wanted to ask him something. However, she remained silent and seated with a fair amount of space between them.

He was quite appreciative that she didn’t invade his personal space after he asked her to not touch him. He’d noticed her being careful to avoid contact. He also noticed the confusion whenever she did though, or the frustrated little frown, as if she wanted to try, just to see what would happen.

“Alright, let’s make this quick. We’ve still got more to do when we get back to town,” Artemis told him. Her tone of voice made it seem like she didn’t want to come back to town anytime soon, however.

Honestly, Silvally didn’t want to come back soon either. As much as he disliked being alone in the wilderness with Artemis, he was infinitely more worried about the upcoming challenge.

Artemis teaching him this new written language? She was impatient enough as it was, and there was no way he’d be able to read aloud with how little he could speak without pain.

This was going to be a whole other mountain to climb. Forget fighting off exploration teams and fending for himself in the wild—this would be his deadliest challenge; he was sure of it.

Here's some fan art by HootHoot that I'm retroactively adding to the chapters.

Silvally Drawing by HootHoot

Chapter Text

Kangaskhan didn’t want to admit it, but she was getting on in her years. Her vision began failing a while back, and there wasn’t much she could do to fix it. She was mostly fine with it—she didn’t plan on leaving Treasure Town.

She rather enjoyed it here, and loved being able to help a variety of Pokémon with their storage needs. And, if she was being honest, she was pretty good at it. She had to be; she’d been running the place for over forty years after all.

Now, with her son taking over most of the operations, she knew it was in good hands. She’d taught him herself and he’d been doing a fantastic job.

She just wished he’d let go of his rather unfortunate view of some Pokémon. Ever since he’d found out his father had turned to… less-than-legal activities, he’d had a strong resentment toward Pokémon who were the same species as a wanted criminal.

If there was an Arbok on the wanted list, any Arbok would be refused service. It didn’t matter how many times she told her son off; he would treat them poorly when she had to take a break.

Damn her aging body requiring more time off. The Sitrus tea Leafeon brought helped her feel a little younger; spritelier. He was such a dear.

The whole situation with her son brought her to today. She’d been horrendous toward a new member of the city and hadn’t any idea until her son dragged her back into the shop.

Kangaskhan hadn’t meant to be rude. She’d wanted to be supportive of Artemis, especially after her rather long string of difficulties over the last couple of years. And… if she was being honest, Kangaskhan was telling the truth at first. She did want Silvally locked up and shipped away at that moment.

There had been many Pokémon who’d gone out to take on the criminal, only to come back broken and battered. Each new group would pull out all the items they could from their storage in preparation. They would be confident that this time they were going to be the ones to catch him.

None of them were ever successful.

Arceus, some of the teams had given up on hunting outlaws entirely. She knew of at least five Pokémon who’d moved to another continent after getting beaten down. They couldn’t chance living in a place where someone like that was on the loose.

And for nearly two years that had been Kangaskhan’s only frame of reference. It was no wonder she thought of this Silvally as nothing more than a dangerous criminal—something that needed to be locked up and shipped away. She’d seen too many Pokémon come back battered and demoralized, handing her their materials in shame before slinking away.

Of course, the Outlaw was standing right behind Artemis, beyond her range of vision. And, from what she’d heard from Leafeon, Lucario, Aurum, and several more Pokémon, Silvally was an absolute sweetheart.

She’d heard the children playing a little way from her storage depot, but hadn’t been able to see what was happening. What she’d heard though… Some Pokémon had expressed concern and talked about getting the authorities, while others sounded relieved about Silvally’s actions.

Lucario’s presence also calmed them immensely considering his record of helping in town. That, and using his aura abilities to figure out who’d been stealing from her depot and the market all that while back.

People trusted him, and that extended to his judgement.

That’d finally pushed her into action. She had a Stamina Scarf wrapped around her neck, and in her hands was a single cup of Sitrus tea. The pick-me-up for this early in the morning was definitely needed.

Kangaskhan was waiting outside of the storage depot, right next to the path that led by Kecleon Market. To the north were the fancier houses that explorers and merchants usually lived in.

She kept her ears open for any changes and idly sipped at her tea. There should be two specific Pokémon making their way up the path sometime soon.

The familiar click of claws on the stone brought a smile to her face. Her sense of time was still accurate.

“Oh! Good morning, Kangaskhan,” Del, the Delphox, greeted her.

“Good mornin’, Miss K!” The Mienshao, Zyra, said.

“Good morning, dears,” Kangaskhan said, turning to face the two. “I hope you two had a nice night.” From where she was standing, she could barely see the two, though they couldn’t be more than a dozen steps from her. Damn her eyes. “I don’t suppose I could ask a favour from you, could I?”

“Sure you can,” Zyra said. The Mienshao walked right up to Kangaskan and gave her a grin. Del was right beside her, the two hand-in-hand. “Whatcha need?”

Kangaskhan flashed them a smile. Good for them, they deserved to be happy.

“Could you two dears help me to the guild? I need to talk to someone, and, well…” Kangaskhan raised an arm and waved her hand in front of her face. “Old age,” she huffed.

“Of course we will,” Del said. He swept around to one side of Kangaskhan and offered her his hand. Zyra stepped around to her other side and looped her arm through the older woman’s, careful of the tea in her grasp.

“Don’t you worry about a thing, we gotcha,” Zyra purred.

Kangaskhan was glad to know she was in good hands.

~{O}~{O}~{O}~

Silvally yawned, shifting to a better spot on his bed. His eyes followed the trail of sunlight slowly making its way down the wall. Waking up early had its perks. Unfortunately, he couldn’t enjoy any of them due to his current situation.  

Still, one of the things he could do was draw. And, he supposed, practice rewriting those symbols Artemis tried to teach him last night.

Tried being the key word. Her success was… debatable. At least now he knew what they looked like. None of them made any sense to him, but that was to be expected.

Silvally couldn’t deny Artemis was determined if nothing else. She’d written out all the possible symbols on a chalkboard and then just told him what they were. That was… questionably helpful, but he could see what he was working toward.

He had a lot of work to do.

Artemis was far from a patient teacher, however, and her mannerisms could use some work. He’d never say that aloud for fear of drawing her ire. At least she wasn’t a telepath…

She wasn’t, was she? She did have psychic abilities…

The way Artemis taught seemed as if she thought he’d never seen a book before; like he’d been raised by animals. It was mildly insulting. Of course he’d received an education!

Well... He couldn’t remember if he did or not. But he thought he did; it certainly felt like it. Silvally knew things that he was sure he hadn’t picked up anywhere in the wilderness.

He just… didn’t know how he knew them.

A soft creak from the entrance of their room drew Silvally’s attention. He watched the wooden door slowly open, wide enough that the edge of the wood caught against the stone.

Artemis’s ears perked up and swivelled around to face the door. She shifted in her bed, angling herself toward the entrance. The noise had likely woken her as well.

A small bat-like creature poked its head into the room and looked at the two. The Pokémon took a breath, and-

“Good morning!” Noibat bellowed.

Both Silvally and Artemis jumped from the thunderous shout. Artemis instinctively whirled her tails around and hurled a volley of snowballs straight at the recruit.

“It’s- Wah!” The bat ducked low to the ground, eyes wide. Snowballs peppered the door with loud thunks and whizzed between her ears. If she had been even slightly taller, Noibat would have ended up with a face full of high-velocity snow.

Silvally groaned, the sudden jump straining his mess of a body in all the wrong ways. Artemis leapt to all fours, her fur and tails bristling from the surprise.

“Oh! S-sorry! Habit,” Noibat laughed sheepishly. “Um, you have visitors. Outside. Outside visitors. Of the guild.” The Pokémon slowly retreated, flinching as snow fell from the door and splattered in front of her. “Hope I didn’t wake you- I mean, I did mean to wake you, but- ack! Sorry!”

The little bat ducked out of the room and slammed the door.

…

The door swung open again briefly, and Noibat peeked back in.

“Good morning!” She said. “Again!”

Thud.

Both Artemis and Silvally watched the door closely, waiting for another interruption.

But… nothing happened. It was silent again, save for the ringing in their ears and the sound of their hearts beating from the wake-up call.  

“…Gah,” Artemis groaned. She stumbled, turned around, and fixed Silvally with an exhausted look. The fur on one of her cheeks was stuck at an odd angle; the other was completely flat against her face. “I swear, I’m gonna freeze the doors shut at night,” she grumbled. “Force them to climb through the window to wake me up.”

While the thought of being trapped in a room with Artemis was extremely unpleasant, uninterrupted sleep and a solid barrier between himself and the rest of the guild was appealing. If he had any other roommate, he’d probably be receptive to the idea. As it was… The thought of being trapped with her spiked his anxiety.

Silvally turned to grab his Treasure Bag, settled it into place at his shoulder, and made a rather pleasant discovery. He placed more weight upon his back leg. Then he really ground it into the floor, shifting side-to-side. Silvally took another deep breath, and let out a long, slow exhale.

He didn’t hurt anymore! At least, nothing that didn’t usually hurt. It could have been the obscene amount of Oran berries he ate yesterday while collecting them for the hospital, but his recovery had been pretty linear.

This body was all sorts of weird. A curse and a blessing at the same time.

“Are you coming?” Artemis asked.

Silvally turned and found her waiting in the open door. The snow that had been melting was now long gone, and small wisps of steam rolled from her body. He gave her a nod and fell into step behind her, keeping himself out of her reach.

“Who do you think it is?” Artemis asked as the two walked. She looked over her shoulder to Silvally. “I can’t think of anyone we upset recently. Well…”

There was one. Last night. Due to someone’s frustration and giving up on a certain literacy lesson.

“Maybe Emerald, the librarian? I only set fire to a few papers, and put them out right away. I don’t see why she’d be upset…” Artemis trailed off. “Oh, Arceus, did the library burn down?”

Silvally wasn’t sure if it was possible, but Artemis seemed to pale. How she managed that with near-white fur was a mystery to him.

The two made their way to the top of the guild and stepped outside. A quick glance around revealed no one at the top of the stairs. Instead, they were all the way at the bottom, near the crossroads. At least, it seemed that way, considering the trio looking up at them.

“Oh, okay, I didn’t burn down the library.” Artemis breathed a sigh of relief. “That’s Kangaskhan from the storage depot. And those two… I’ve seen them around town and the guild. I wonder what they want.” She glanced at Silvally and then gave her version of a shrug.

The descent down that massive staircase was entirely too quick. Silvally’s thoughts flickered between his previous interactions with unknown exploration teams and the only time he came close to meeting Kangaskhan.

Neither had been friendly.

Still, he wasn’t going to jump to conclusions, though he was more than ready to defend himself. He took a breath to rid himself of his nervousness… or at least stuff it in a corner and ignore it for the moment.

No feelings. Just neutrality. Stay calm and think things through.

“Good morning,” Artemis greeted. “Is everything alright?”

Artemis stepped off the path and came right up to the trio. Silvally kept himself further back, observing them all.

“Good morning, you two,” Kangaskhan greeted. “I’m sorry for bothering you this early, but could I speak with you, Silvally?”

Both Artemis and Silvally were taken aback by that. Why did she want to talk to him? Especially after what happened the other day—not really the best first impression.

Silvally nodded, and sat down, fixing his gaze on the older woman. He was willing to hear her out, even if most Pokémon wouldn’t give him the same courtesy.   

…

There was a long, awkward moment of silence. Kangaskhan waited for a response from Silvally, while Silvally was waiting for Kangaskhan to continue.

“He nodded, Miss Kangaskhan,” Artemis spoke up. “He’s not big on the talking thing.”

“Oh, sorry, dear. My eyes aren’t what they used to be. Old age, I’m afraid.” The older woman gave a wistful sigh. “Oh, yes, where are my manners? Thank you, Del, and Zyra. You don’t have to stick around and listen to little ol’ me, I know you have your own things you need to do.”

“Are you sure? We don’t mind,” Del said.

Zyra made an affirmative sound and planted her hand on Del’s head with a soft smack. She grinned at the “Ack!” of surprise from the fox, and the frustrated huff he let out.

“Oh shush. I’ll stay right here and you can do your thing. If you really want to, you can come back and help me home,” Kangaskhan replied.

“C’mon Del, let’s go grab a request real quick,” Zyra said. She’d already grabbed Del by the wrist and started dragging him up the stairs. Quite literally. He was facing backward, being pulled along by the fighting-type, up the steps.

Artemis and Silvally both watched the duo disappear over the top of the stairs, Del still struggling the whole time.

“Right, where was I?” Kangaskhan asked. She squinted and turned to face Silvally, bringing her hands together and holding her mug close. “Silvally, I… Would like to apologize. I said some things I regret, and I didn’t know you were there. I wanted to support Artemis and I went about it the wrong way.”

Silvally sat quietly, watching the older woman. Her fingers tightened around the mug, and she turned her head away as if embarrassed or ashamed.

“What I said, I… I’ve heard things about you from many Pokémon over the years. They came back hurt, so I had poor thoughts of you,” Kangaskhan said. She tapped a foot on the ground anxiously and drummed her claws on the cup. “I think a lot of Pokémon around town do- did. They used to.”

Silvally winced. His talons curled up and started carving into the ground.

He’d been defending himself all that time. He always held back when he could so that they wouldn’t be hurt too severely. And that was after he tried to run from them. All he wanted was to be left alone, and despite his best efforts, it still came back to bite him.

Why? What did he do wrong? What should he have done differently?

“I heard what you did for Aurum, and for the hospital. Leafeon talked to me about some things too, and I heard the fun the kids were having. What I said… I regret entirely. I was mortified when I learned you were there,” Kangaskhan gave a soft laugh. “Of course, my son dragged me inside and closed the gate to ‘keep me safe’, or so he says. I’ll talk with him about that, but…”

The old Pokémon leaned in closer but remained respectful of Silvally’s space, which he greatly appreciated.

“I’m sorry for what I said about you. You are a good Pokémon and a good person. You’re always welcome at the Depot,” Kangaskhan said. “I, um, hope this doesn’t seem insincere, but I did put together a little kit of sorts for you, if you would like it. Just some exploration supplies and extra things I had around the place.” Kangaskhan smiled and stood up a little taller. “Sorry I don’t have anything fancy for you, dear.”

Silvally remained quiet, listening to her words. He shifted in place, multiple feelings racing through his mind, a swirl of confusion, concern, and anxiety filling him. He thought they hated him—other than a select few.

Now some Pokémon actively wanted to help him?

What was happening? He didn’t understand; none of this made sense. These ‘civilized Pokémon’ were so confusing.

Still, this older Pokémon made the trip all the way out here just to apologize to him, because she learned she’d said negative things about him to his face. She didn’t have to do that. Then she went and prepared him something as well.

Kangaskhan seemed genuine, and it sounded like she regretted her actions. He… Didn’t know what to say. What would he want someone to say to him if he was in her position?

“…It’s okay,” Silvally finally said. “Thank you.” He coughed lightly and grimaced, working his jaw. Stupid body.

Both Artemis and Kangaskhan blinked in surprise. Evidently, they hadn’t expected him to say anything, let alone thank Kangaskhan for the gift.

Time to surprise them further.

“Thank you for- for say-“ Silvally coughed, cleared his throat, and tried again. “I forg-“ His voice broke, and he let out a frustrated growl, clenching his jaw. Silvally tried again with no success and broke into another coughing fit. He brought talon up to his neck and rubbed at it, a low huff escaping him. Finally, he managed a soft “It’s okay,” the sound barely more than a whisper.

The only thing this Pokémon had done wrong to him was say something rude. She apologized, so there wasn’t really anything he couldn’t forgive. Kangaskhan was willing to try, and he appreciated that. She’d even put together a kit for him; she wasn’t a bad Pokémon.

“Oh, you poor dear,” Kangaskhan said. She looked down at her near-empty mug and hummed. “You know what? I know just the thing for that cough of yours. You should go talk to Leafeon about his Sitrus tea, it does wonders. Actually… Tell you what. Why don’t you both come by tonight and I’ll make you some? And don’t you worry, it’s not a bother at all.”

Silvally blinked; it was his turn to be stunned and caught off guard. She was inviting him to her home just like that? To make them tea? Things were progressing far too fast. What was he supposed to do? What should he say? Was he supposed to say no? Or was he supposed to say yes so he didn’t seem impolite?

It seemed like Artemis caught his hesitation because she stepped in for him.

“That’s very sweet of you,” Artemis said. “We’re not too sure how today will go, but we’ll try to make it by sundown if we can. Please, don’t stay up waiting for us, just in case today takes a rough turn.”

Silvally appreciated her stepping in, though he hoped her talking for him wasn’t going to become a regular thing. He was caught by surprise when, instead of ignoring him, Artemis turned and gave him a little tilt of her head.

“Oh, of course!” Kangaskhan laughed. “I know how things can go with you explorers. The world’s a scary place sometimes, and I’m glad you two are around to help us.”

Artemis gave a neutral answer just in case they couldn’t or didn’t want to go. Silvally wasn’t sure if it was for his benefit, Kangaskhan’s protection, or Artemis’s regular answer to invitations.

A pair of footsteps from the stairs of the guild drew their attention.

“We got the perfect one!” Zyra shouted from halfway up the stairs, holding a piece of paper up. Del was stumbling down the steps after her, trying to keep up with her near run down the slope.

“Why are you yelling? They’re right there-ack!” Del tripped and stumbled down a few steps, managing to catch himself on the Mienshao in front of him. He clung to her, allowing Zyra to do all the legwork.

“You all good, Miss K?” Zyra ignored her partner and came to a stop near the trio. “Want us to help ya home?”

Del gracefully removed himself from Zyra’s back and stood upright, acting as if nothing had happened.

“You two dears have wonderful timing,” Kangaskhan said. “I think we were about done? If you don’t mind, that would be wonderful.”

Silvally looked between the three, confused. This was the third time he’d seen Pokémon in town willingly helping one another. Did they only help their own? 

Why didn’t they help him when he needed it?

Why was he different?

Pop!

“Heya!”

Del shrieked and leapt backward from Mew. The sudden appearance and the mental greeting terrified the poor Delphox.

Artemis jumped, and fire flickered between her jaws. Her fur stood on end in an instant, leaving her a little more fluffy than usual.

Silvally jumped as well, and, as if by reflex, changed his type. Electricity zipped over his fur and various parts of him started glowing yellow.

Kangaskhan gasped and jolted backward, the sudden move causing her empty mug to fly into the air.

Zyra immediately dropped into a combat stance, her fur whips at the ready, and paws raised. She was too focused on Mew to notice the mug that dropped from the sky and bounced right off her head.

All this caught Mew off guard, who let out a little surprised gasp of her own, the sound reverberating through all their minds. She turned around in a quick circle, taking in her surroundings.

“What the- Mew?” Artemis asked.

“Artemis!” Mew whirled around with her arms spread, her tail flicking around happily.

“Mew?” Silvally asked.

“Silvally!” Mew turned toward him and gave him a big smile.

“Is that Mew?” Kangaskhan asked, squinting at the pink blob before her.

“Kangaskhan!” Her mental voice was a little more uncertain, but she still recognized the older Pokémon.

“Mew?” Both Del and Zyra asked at once.

“I don’t know you, but you two!” Mew cheered, pointing at the duo.

…

“…Nope,” Del said. “Come on Kangaskhan, let’s get you home.” He shuffled toward the older Pokémon, facing Mew the entire time. He blindly grabbed for her hand, missing repeatedly. “Let’s go, Zyra, I don’t want to tempt fate today.”

“Wha- But Del! It’s Mew! Aren’t ya even a lil curious?” Zyra asked. She looked between her partner and the legendary Pokémon, torn.

“Nope, not at all!” Del started pulling Kangaskhan away while walking backwards. “I’ve heard stories. I know what happens when you tangle with myths and legends. You’re going to get turned to stone, or… or sent to an alternate future, or transformed into a ghost! I want nothing to do with it!”

Mew turned to face Artemis and Silvally, and gave them a sheepish grin. She raised her paws in a helpless shrug, then turned back around.

“Del, you’re being paranoid!” Zyra called.

“No, I’m being reasonable,” Del replied. “Sorry, Mew, I don’t mean to be rude, but I’d like to stay far from all that.”

“Del, this could be a once-in-a-lifetime thing!”

“I’d like it to be a nonce-in-a-lifetime thing, thank you!”

Silvally looked at Mew, then turned to Artemis. Mew was giggling to herself, and Artemis had a smirk on her face. Apparently, these things were not normal. That was good to know.

Though how far from “normal” this was had yet to be determined. Unless he had somehow stumbled his way into the “weird Pokémon” category of civilization. That would be his luck too, wouldn’t it?

“What? But Del, I- You can’t just- Gah!” Zyra clenched her paws, growled, and then took off after the Delphox. “I’m gonna kick your ass, Del!”

Silvally sat quietly and watched the three Pokémon disappear into Treasure Town, both Del and Zyra helping Kangaskhan along.

“…I teleported to the crossroad to avoid causing a scene,” Mew giggled. She twirled around to face Artemis and Silvally. “I missed you!”

The little pink Pokémon darted forward and buried herself into Artemis’s neck, nuzzling against the fox. Artemis’s nine tails curled around and fell over Mew, burying her in a blanket of fluff.

“I missed you too, Mew. It’s good to see you again,” Artemis said. “Hope you’ve been keeping out of trouble.”

“What? Me, trouble? Never!” Mew replied. She let out a little giggle that definitely didn’t inspire confidence in her answer.  

Mew managed to wriggle her way free of the ocean of fluff that was Artemis’s tails and floated back. Her tail gave a little wriggle when she turned to face Silvally, as if ready to pounce.

Silvally fought back a grimace and tensed. He waited for the speeding blur of pink to hit him. But… Nothing happened.

“Don’t worry, I didn’t forget. Is it okay if I hug you, Silvally?” Mew asked. Her tail curled around, and she held it in her paws, giving it a little squeeze as she looked at him. “If not, that’s okay too!”

His sudden nervousness over being tackled and touched faded. Instead, it was replaced with an odd appreciation and warmth. He recalled her fondness for physical contact, and how gentle she was last time. 

Surely, he could do it for her. After everything she’s done for him, he could put up with a little discomfort.

Silvally dipped his head in a nod, and braced himself for the impact. Instead, Mew slowly floated over to him, watching him closely for… something.

One of her little paws reached out to brush his fur, but he held still. Then her other paw pressed against him. When there was still no negative reaction, Mew shoved forward and nuzzled herself into his fur, her small body pressed against his neck and chest.

It was uncomfortable having someone so close to such a vulnerable spot. It was potentially dangerous, but… he owed it to her. She helped give him this chance to work toward his freedom. Toward a life where he didn’t have to look over his shoulder every minute. Where he could live far away from all this.

Then, her paws started to brush against his fur, and Mew started to purr. Her tail coiled around one of his forelegs and squeezed gently.

It was… warm. And that gentle brushing motion against his fur… Something felt right about this. Sure, it still felt wrong having someone so close, someone who could lunge at his throat and try to end him. But, at the same time, it felt…

Different. Unfamiliar, but not in a bad way.

Slowly, Silvally raised a foreleg, hesitating. Then, he moved his leg to return the hug awkwardly, earning himself a surprised squeak from Mew.

“Are you okay?” Her words echoed in his mind, her tone soft.  

“I’m okay,” Silvally breathed.

Mew pulled away seconds later, wriggling herself out of his grip. Silvally realized he’d been tense through the whole hug, and took a breath to relax himself.

As uncomfortable as that whole thing had been… it wasn’t as bad as he remembered. It was warm and felt… secure? Like when he managed to find a secret room inside a forest dungeon and built himself a fire.

He didn’t understand.

“How are you feeling? Is your leg okay? Are your ribs bothering you?” Mew asked. She started to fly circles around Artemis and Silvally, looking over them both. “What about you, Artemis? Not hurting anywhere? You didn’t sprain your tails?”

Silvally shook his head and stood on all fours to demonstrate that his leg was fine. He didn’t really want to start running around to prove that he wasn’t in pain, because he was—he still ached from that surprise in the morning, and the recent scare from Mew.

So, instead, Silvally reared back on his hind legs and stood tall. He balanced himself upright, looking down upon Mew and Artemis.

…Were they always so small? Silvally quickly realized that, besides his appearance, other Pokémon might be wary of him because of how large he was. Sure, there were probably other Pokémon bigger than him, but those seemed few and far between, and didn’t seem to live inside Treasure Town.

Curse this body.

Silvally dropped back down to all fours, looking at the two stunned Pokémon.

“I’m better,” Silvally explained. Realizing that could be taken the wrong way, he turned and gestured to his leg and lifted a paw from the ground.  

“I’m fine, Mew. The worst thing we ran into was a mud trap,” Artemis huffed. “Despite my brush with death, I survived.”

“Ack! Your poor fur!” Mew scrunched up her face and poked out her tongue. “I wanna hear all about what you two were up to this week once we head out.”

“Head out?” Artemis asked. “We haven’t picked a request. If you had something else planned, today won’t count-“

“I’ve got my own request! Which reminds me! I’ll be right back, I need to go bribe- er, talk, with Wiggles,” Mew giggled, and pulled a sheet of paper out of thin air. Then, with a pop, she vanished.

Not even two seconds later, a terrified scream from Chatot could be heard through the guild windows. Wigglytuff’s excited cheer followed soon after.

Silvally glanced at Artemis, and she looked back at him.

“What do you think she’s up to?” Artemis asked. Then, she blinked, and cleared her throat. “Er…Don’t tell anyone she said she was going to bribe the Guildmaster. Just… for legal reasons, that was a joke.”

Silvally nodded.

The duo waited patiently for Mew, their eyes on the guild. They heard Chatot’s voice from far away, but couldn’t make out what he was saying. He seemed to be getting louder and squawked a couple of times.

Moments later, an enthusiastic cheer erupted from Wigglytuff. It was loud enough to startle the Wingull and Pelipper on the beach, causing them to soar overhead.

Pop!

“We have permission!” Mew cheered. She held up a paper with the Guildmaster’s stamp of approval on it and performed a little loop in the air. “I knew it would work! Here you go.”

The paper fluttered out of Mew’s paws and floated over to Silvally. He raised a talon to catch it and awkwardly manipulated it to look at it. Then, he blinked and turned it to face Artemis, who let out a soft huff.

Silvally’s ears folded back at that.

He was going to learn eventually; it was just going to take time. He had to associate all the symbols of this new written language with the one he knew. Maybe he could make some sort of cheat sheet or a little translation page.

Mew caught sight of the little exchange as well, and her tail tip flicked with curiosity, but she remained silent.  

“…Mew, did you really?” Artemis asked. She looked disappointed, though she was smirking, turning away from the paper to look at Mew.  

“Did I what?” Mew asked. She twirled around, acting as if nothing was wrong. The lilt in her voice betrayed her innocence.

“You wrote up an escort mission to Apple Woods, but listed it as a guild resupply.”

“Yes? Everything is all there, officer,” Mew taunted. “I even have the stamp of approval!”

“You actually bribed him with Perfect Apples, didn’t you?”

“No, I just said that if we found them, I’d get as many as we could carry!”

“That’s called bribery.”

“That’s called friendship!”

“Mew, that is literally bribery. I’m surprised Chatot isn’t throwing a fit right now.”

“He tried.” Mew grinned, and her eyes flashed a lighter blue. “Besides, the Guildmaster approved it, which means it’s very official and authentic.”

“Because you bribed him!”

“Because I friendshipped him!”

Silvally listened to the two bicker and caught sight of the wide smile on both of their faces—they were having fun. Silvally’s ears swivelled to track the two as they darted back and forth, Artemis chasing after Mew.

This was… Not unpleasant. If this was to be a recurring thing once every few days… Well, maybe this wouldn’t be so difficult to get through after all.

~{O}~{O}~{O}~

The trio wandered through Apple Woods, Mew’s teleportation turning an hour-long walk into a two-second blip of dizziness. They’d jumped straight from Treasure Town to the forest, so the sun was still just barely in the sky.

“Teleportation is cheating,” Artemis huffed. “We have to walk for hours and you don’t even need to touch the ground.”

“Then learn to teleport and fly, silly!” Mew replied. “It’s easy, you just do this!” Mew blinked out of existence, appeared on Artemis’s left, and performed a flip as she flew over her. “See?”

“I can’t teleport or fly, Mew.” Artemis rolled her eyes, fighting back a grin.

“Have you tried?” Mew asked.

…

The silence that followed just further proved Mew’s point. She twirled out of the way when Artemis swatted at Mew with her tails.

Mew giggled at the little huff Artemis made and floated ahead for a moment. She glanced up at Silvally, who was leading their group through Apple Woods, and then turned her attention back to Artemis.

With a quick thought, Mew severed the mental link with Silvally, leaving only herself and Artemis connected.

“It’s just us talking now, Artemis. Are… things okay?” Mew asked. “I know I didn’t have a lot of time to ask the last time we talked.”

Artemis blinked, and Mew could feel the brief flash of confusion from her before she settled back in.

“Yeah, things are okay. I’m not sleeping as much, and don’t have coffee because one of the major shipping docks was destroyed. Hopefully, that will be fixed soon. Other than the whole… this,” Artemis gestured to Silvally, “everything is pretty normal. Kind of.”

“I meant with you. Are you okay?” Mew clarified. “With everything going on, I know you’ve had your fair share of changes too.”

“I… yeah. Yeah,” Artemis sighed. “I’m missing home more than I thought, which is funny because it’s just down the road. Can’t go there, though. I’d rather not show him where my house is. I know that everyone knows where I live, but I just… I don’t want to risk it at the moment.”

“Artemis…” Mew sighed. “He’s not a bad Pokémon. I’m sure if you-“

“Mew. I am not letting him anywhere near my home,” Artemis ground out. “Mom and Dad left it for me, and I don’t have much of theirs to begin with. I need to keep it safe and clean if- when they come back.” Artemis let out a breath, steam rolling upward from her jaws.

“I didn’t mean it like that. I just-“ Mew cut herself off. “Right, sorry, bad topic. I… Sorry, Artemis.” She curled her tail around and held it in her paws, giving it an anxious little squeeze.

The topic of Artemis’s parents was something Mew tried to avoid. Everyone knew they’d been gone for a while, even other legendary Pokémon. Their disappearance caused a near world-wide search for about three weeks, and then it just... stopped. Despite two of the most well-known Pokémon in the world going missing, life went on. It was old news to most at this point.

The topic still caused Mew’s heart to clench a little tighter.

For Artemis though, she had to live with that every day, not knowing if her parents were okay or not. No notes, no clues, no goodbyes. Nothing to give even a glimmer of hope. Just silence and a lack of progress regarding their whereabouts.

“It’s… It’s okay. Sorry I snapped at you,” Artemis sighed. “I… It’s hard to-“ She cut herself off again.

Mew could feel the internal struggle within her, flitting between the desire to tell her everything, or just clam up and keep quiet.

“…What about you?” Artemis suddenly asked.

“What?” Mew tilted her head, and her tail gave a curious little flick.

“Are you okay?” Artemis added. “We haven’t talked in a while, and I have no clue what you’ve been up to.”

“Oh!” Mew blinked, then hummed. “Well, normally I’m making sure the forests are healthy, or visiting my children and grandkids-“

Artemis inhaled sharply and choked.

“Grandchildren!?” Artemis spluttered.

“Yes?” Mew let out a little giggle. “How old do you think I am?”

“Well, I used to think maybe forty-something-“ Artemis was interrupted by another laugh from Mew, who performed a lazy twirl in the air. “How old are you?”

“Oh, you know…” Mew completely ignored the question with a wave of her paw. She also ignored the little growl and eye-roll from Artemis. “Oh, and I helped Moltres with some ghost-types trying to swarm his island. Easy stuff.”  

“Is he-“

“He’s still very upset about the volcano,” Mew giggled.

“Look, he said it was under control. It wasn’t,” Artemis huffed.

“He brings it up every time he sees ice and snow.”

“Oh, that big feather-brained baby,” Artemis laughed. “You beat down some big important bird once, freeze his volcano, and now he won’t stop crying about it.”

The two smiled and shared a moment of laughter, falling into a much more comfortable silence. They continued following after Silvally, watching him to make sure everything was alright. Other than the occasional snack of apples or berries, he kept going without pause, leading them through the maze-like forest with precision.

Mew hummed softly, realizing that Artemis was reluctant to talk about how she’d really been. She’d admitted to loneliness and being homesick, but she kept away from what bubbled under the surface and seemed to be truly bothering her.

It made sense. Mew hadn’t seen her in nearly five years and saw her parents maybe three years ago. Things changed. People changed. Artemis wasn’t that bouncy little Vulpix anymore. Not that she wasn’t aloof to strangers in the first place, and she’d been going hard after outlaws even in the earlier days of her guild training. But now…

Well, Mew wasn’t exactly a close friend of hers now. She had to establish that connection again, somehow. What better way to do that than being brutally honest with her?

“I didn’t really answer your question, did I?” Mew asked, catching Artemis’s attention. “I guess… my biggest concern recently was you two.”

Artemis’s questioning gaze prompted her to continue.

“For about… twenty-five years, everything has been pretty peaceful.”

“Ha! Peaceful? You should come get a job for the Expedition Society,” Artemis let out a little chuckle.

“I’m serious!” Mew laughed, then bopped Artemis over the head with her tail. “When we finally beat D-“ she cut herself off there. “When the Tree of Life was finally saved… that was it. The world has been relatively safe and stable. Other than natural disasters, there’s not really anything to worry about.” She glanced at Artemis. “Nothing world-ending to worry about,” Mew clarified.

“Oh, well, we can’t have that. Why don’t we go visit Jirachi and wish for something exciting to happen?”

“NO!” Mew shouted.

Artemis flinched back from the volume, and Mew laughed nervously.

“Ow,” Artemis grumbled.

“Oops, sorry. Let’s try to avoid anything like that. Please?” Mew squeezed her tail anxiously.

“I thought that was just a myth,” Artemis admitted. “Do I need to be worried about that?”

“It’s very real. It’s just, well, it probably wouldn’t work,” Mew admitted. “I’ll take boredom over some world-ending thing any day. Boredom is good.” Mew huffed, and took a breath, shaking away her nervousness. “Okay, where was I?”

“The world isn’t in danger?” Artemis supplied.

“Right!” Mew pointed a paw at Artemis and smiled. “With everything stable, I’m just… I guess gardening? Yeah, that fits!” She performed a celebratory loop in the air and giggled. “So, new things are exciting. You and everything we did when you were a Vulpix was exciting because it was new! And Wiggles invites me out on adventures sometimes, and that’s always a mess!”

Artemis laughed with Mew. They both knew just how… eccentric and excitable the Guildmaster was.

“After I caught Silvally and looked through his memories-“ Artemis frowned at her. “I don’t normally do that! I was just curious about the helmet and things spiralled!” Mew defended herself from Artemis’s gaze and crossed her arms in a huff. “Anyways, after everything I saw, I just… I had to help. I couldn’t leave things like that. And then you were involved, and I was worried about you too. Then Wiggles was, well, himself, and put you two together. Then I had to worry about you fighting.”

“Hey, it’s okay. I… You don’t need to stress about us.” Artemis softened her gaze and looked away for a moment, conflicted. “I did what you asked.”

“What do you mean?”

“I gave him a chance. Just one. And… well. He’s got issues,” Artemis said bluntly. “But… he’s doing better than I thought, and I…” Artemis huffed and looked away. “I don’t think he needs to be locked up. Not yet, at least. It hasn’t been that long; he could be faking it.”

Mew could feel the conflict within Artemis. The swirling mess of thoughts all combatting one another.

Part of Artemis still wanted Silvally locked away from people, and herself, so she wouldn’t have to deal with him again. Another part of Artemis seemed to think with cold logic and facts. Her time with Silvally led her to believe he would likely be fine. Probably.

“What issues?” Mew asked. She once again found her tail in her paws.

“He spaces out often; talking is painful; he is visibly agitated and nervous near others,” Artemis listed. “He refuses to leave the helmet behind and takes it everywhere, even if it doesn’t make any sense. He can’t read Modern Rune, and he won’t let me near him. He’s always shying away, and the one time I did touch him, he had a panic attack over it for some reason.” Artemis huffed in frustration. “Oh, and can’t forget the townsfolk that blatantly hate him.”

Before Mew even had the chance to interrupt and start prying answers from Artemis, she continued.

“But… he listens well. He doesn’t intentionally cause issues. And, he doesn’t steal food like most Pokémon from the wild do during their first few months,” Artemis sighed. “Then he goes and plays ball with children in the middle of town, and he’s completely relaxed. He even stopped one of them from being hit in the face. He was very gentle with the kids.”

Mew bit her tongue to keep from interrupting the begrudging positivity. She wanted to ask so many questions but remained silent.

“Things don’t add up, Mew. They don’t make sense. So, I got a copy of his file; I’m going to try to read through it, maybe it’ll explain some things,” Artemis said. “Oh, and before you ask, no, I didn’t take him to go after outlaws. I’m not stupid.”

“Was that for him, or for you?”

“…Both.”

Mew frowned, and her tail gave a little twitch of irritation. Still, she could see the logic behind it. Regardless of the reason, not putting Silvally into a situation like that was the best scenario.  

“Look, I don’t care if it’s selfish; I’m not doing it. He’s already reluctant to fight wild Pokémon coming after us. I doubt he’d take well to going after someone who could try to convince him they’re innocent. And, well, I’m worried he might have partners out there that would take the chance to jump me together,” Artemis explained. “I’m not risking it. It’s for his benefit too: no fighting and nothing too stressful.”

“…Thank you,” Mew replied. “I know it’s probably not easy, but it means a lot that you’re trying.”

“Yeah, well, it’s my job,” Artemis huffed. “I’d still rather not be here at all. I want to go hunt down more criminals, or… or just go out for a week-long dungeon surveying trip. Anything to keep me busy.”

“I know. Is there anything I can do to help?” Mew floated lower, right in front of Artemis, and watched her closely. “Something I can do to make things easier on you both?”

Mew almost immediately regretted her decision when Artemis’s eyes snapped to her, and a grin made itself present on her muzzle. That little glint in her eyes… Something bad was going to happen. Mew recognized the signs of a sly vixen trying to pull a fast one on her.

“Yes. Yes, there is,” Artemis purred. “How’s your teaching?”

“…What?”

~{O}~{O}~{O}~

After delivering their “definitely not bribe apples” Mew unceremoniously teleported them to some hill in the middle of a grassy field. Artemis sprawled herself out, enjoying the lush grass and the soft breeze.

Artemis didn’t actually know where they were. It didn’t feel like the Grass Continent, and there was almost nothing recognizable around. Those trees and mountains in the distance suggested the Water Continent, but she wasn’t completely certain.

“You know this isn’t the horrific thing you think it is, right?” Mew giggled and poked her tongue out at Artemis. “All you have to do is read to him, and let him follow along.”

Artemis huffed and rolled her eyes, but remained silent to avoid interrupting them. She eyed Mew and Silvally, both lying down on the other side of the hill. Mew was actually lying down in the grass, a short distance away from Silvally.

A book was floating in front of them thanks to Mew’s abilities. Artemis squinted—it was a children’s book. In fact… It looked like the one Mew had brought for her to read years ago when she was little.

Mudkip’s Big Adventure.

She liked that story.

Artemis shifted around in her own patch of grass, kicking her legs out to get comfy, and turned her gaze to her own reading. It was decidedly less exciting, but far more important.

Silvally’s files.

She’d managed to convince Mew to keep him busy and teach him to read. Not that it took much convincing—Mew seemed absolutely ecstatic at the request. But now Artemis had the chance she had been waiting for. If Mew hadn’t shown up, it probably would have involved a lot of late nights and frustration.

Artemis flared her psychic-type energy, pulled the papers free from the metal tube, and laid them out in front of herself. There was a lot there, which seemed contradictory to the insanely light punishment he received.

These files better explain everything, or Artemis was going to… well, she didn’t know yet. But she’d figure it out, and it wouldn’t be pleasant. Probably.

Artemis flipped to the second page. The first page was always full of warnings and security clearance things—classified documents and the like. Boring. Hopefully, this wouldn’t take too long.

“Alright, let’s see,” Artemis mumbled, peering at the page.

Name: Silvally

Species: Silvally – (New Species*)

Date of Birth: Unknown – (Memory Loss**)

Origin: Unknown – (Memory Loss**)

First Reported By: Team Dusk

Hazard Level: ★ (4)  – (Note: Recommendation to reclassify to Hazard Level ★ (6) has been submitted to the Expedition Society)

Known Associates: None

Observations: Nervous; Jumpy; Reluctant speech; Composed under high stress and adrenaline; Highly observant; Undernourished(?)*; Capable of functioning with minimal rest; Type-Shifting*; Physically resilient; Mentally resilient; Skilled survivalist; Skilled combatant; Post-Traumatic-Stress-Disorder(?); Aversion to caves(?); More to be added as daily reports from the Wigglytuff Guild are received.

* New Species – Silvally appears to be an undiscovered Pokémon. His body is composed of a variety of materials, both organic and inorganic. Memory analysis and explorer reports indicate this Pokémon is capable of changing his type at will. Pages 4 and 5 contain renditions of Silvally with estimated physical dimensions. Species regularities are unknown at this time.

** Memory Loss – Silvally displays signs of extreme memory loss. He is unsure of his own name. There is no information available regarding age, origin, education, family, friends, interests, preferences, history, or talents (beyond those displayed in the wilderness). Mental blocks, memory purging, memory wiping, psychic resistance, mind linking, and memory replacement have been ruled out. Nothing exists prior to his two (2) years of life on the Grass Continent.

Artemis looked over the page several times, just to make sure she was reading it right. There it was, right in front of her.

Extreme memory loss.

Artemis hadn’t really believed Mew when she said there was nothing there. That was just… hard to believe. Even her Dad had remembered his name and that he was supposed to be human. This was after being struck by Darkrai while going through a rift in space-time, and then washing up on a beach. He’d regained his memory as he went along.

But, Silvally?  

Now she had both Mew and Metagross confirming it.

Nothing. No memories of parents, family, or friends. No known associates, either. It was entirely possible he was alone out there for two years of his life.

That was…

“Fuck,” Artemis murmured.

Sure, she enjoyed her long trips out to other continents; going out to explore the wilderness for a week straight without seeing anyone. At least she had family and friends to go back to, and cities to visit. People to talk to, things to do, and not stressing about when or where she could sleep or eat.

But a straight stint in the wilderness for two years while on the run?

Artemis realized she’d have to be more patient with him. He’d be experiencing all aspects of civilization for the first time. Arceus, he probably hadn’t even had a proper conversation with someone before all this. At least, not with anyone that wasn’t actively hunting him down.

Then another thought came to her.

Did he really have no one? At all? Other than Mew, who’s been known to him for a short time. They’d talked and been around one another… what, two, three times?

And, Artemis supposed, herself. Not that she was a willing participant in everything happening. She’d still prefer not being his babysitter for three months, but it was her job. Though, she could probably be a touch more lenient.

Her ears flicked back a little, recalling her interactions with him the first few days. She made a complete ass of herself, didn’t she? Trying to goad him into acting out, or just insulting him outright.

Artemis took a breath and shoved all those unpleasant feelings and memories to the back of her mind. She would just be better. More patient and more pleasant. Despite his criminal past, he was still a Pokémon, and probably not the worst person she could be stuck with.

Yes, that was it. No need to stress about what happened earlier. Maybe she would apologize down the road, but there was no need to bring it up so soon. Artemis would just need to be more patient and understanding.

Simple! Probably. Maybe.

She huffed and flipped to the other pages.

Criminal History

Summary: Evasion of Capture – 713 Days; Assault on Exploration Teams – 57; Resisting Arrest – 72; Theft of Expedition Society Property – 1; Premediated Assault – 3

Sentencing: Supervised Community Service – 3 months

Explanation: Due to Silvally’s circumstances (Memory Loss**) it is reasonable to assume that he was unaware of the Expedition Society and standard operating procedures. 95% of crimes were committed in self-defense and reduced due to memory loss. 

• Evasion of Capture (713 Days) is reduced due to memory loss. Silvally sought safety from harm, not escape from punishment.
• Assault on Exploration Teams (57 Counts) is reduced due to memory loss. In all but 3 cases, self-defense was the cause of harm to Exploration Teams.
• Resisting Arrest (72 Counts) is negated due to memory loss. Escape without physical confrontation was the goal in most cases. Silvally was unaware of the legal obligation to comply.
• Theft of Expedition Society Property (1 Count) is charged in full. Silvally took Team Dusk’s Treasure Bag after rendering them unconscious.
• Premediated Assault (3 Counts) is reduced due to memory loss. Silvally did not seek the victims out. Once he was aware of the Exploration Teams tailing him, Silvally prepared traps and ambushed them.

Artemis blinked at the page, narrowed her eyes, and read through it again. Her heartbeat sped up, and her tails swished in agitation.

This… that couldn’t be right, could it? That didn’t make any sense. Was she given an incorrect copy? Maybe someone else’s files wound up with his.

Artemis leafed through the pages to confirm that, yes, this was Silvally’s file. It even had several drawings of him, just like the second page said.

“…What happened?” Artemis whispered.

He wasn’t aware of the Expedition Society or any legal obligations? Did no one talk to him, or even try to communicate when they ran into him?

Then there were all those injuries. Those were all caused by self-defense? Every team sent to the hospital, or returning bruised and defeated; he wasn’t even trying to hurt them?

In the near-dozen times she’d encountered Silvally, he almost always met her head on. He’d wait in a clearing and watch her approach. Sometimes she would catch him off-guard and try to bring him down quickly.

There was only one time when he’d laid a trap for her intentionally, and all she could remember was the series of explosions from Blast seeds.

Did anyone even talk to him? Tell them the reasons they were after him?

Did she?

…

No, she didn’t. She’d taunt him, threaten him, or tell him to surrender. Not once did she mention why. Artemis just assumed he knew why. After all, what kind of criminal would be on the run for two years and hunted without knowing what they did wrong?

That would be impossible. That would…

That… No. Fuck.

Maybe the details of the encounters would explain things more. She really hoped they did—something to calm her rising concern.

Artemis frantically leafed through the pages, going back to the very first encounter. All the way back to Team Dusk’s run-in with him nearly two years ago.

Details of Criminal Events:

Note: Team Dusk has been requested to the Treasure Town Police Station for further questioning and clarification. Details will be updated after Psychic Memory Analysis has been completed and the evidence has been compared.  

Encounter Location: Endless Beach – 17F

Encountered By: Team Dusk – Poochyena, Stunky, Sneasel (Skorupi was not part of the core team at the time.)

Details: Team Dusk was sent on a mission to chart and explore a (then) new Mystery Dungeon. The Pokémon within the dungeon consisted of only Water and Ground-type Pokémon. Team Dusk first encountered Silvally in the 17^th section of the dungeon.

This was Silvally’s first encounter with an Exploration Team, and the Expedition Society. Silvally heard their speech, sought help, and approached the three. (Note: Silvally’s memory loss is important in the following events. This is Silvally’s first time encountering non-wild Pokémon and individuals who can speak.)

Team Dusk’s written records (Psychic Memory Analysis was not mandatory for another 7 months) detail that Silvally growled and made feral noises at the group. Silvally’s memory confirms speech at that time was difficult and near-unintelligible (reason unknown – possible explanations: Silvally’s helmet limited his speech or muffled his words).

Team Dusk, claiming fear of imminent attack, struck first, listing the use of Silver Spikes, Iron Thorns, various Dark-type moves, and claw attacks. Silvally’s version of events are impossible to corroborate due to a limited field of vision at the time (reasoning unknown – possible explanations: Silvally’s helmet limited his field of view).

During the battle, Silvally attempted to escape. Team Dusk surrounded Silvally, forcing him to fight—this is legal for combat with wild and feral Pokémon to avoid being outnumbered.

Following the battle, Silvally retreated with injuries and left the unconscious forms of Team Dusk behind.

Artemis couldn’t feel her paws—they were cold; numb. There was a tightness in her chest that gripped her firmly. Her heart thrummed, and her mind raced, taking everything in at once.

This… That couldn’t be right, could it?

Artemis read through the page once more and could feel her core growing colder. Something was gnawing at her insides. Something dark and unpleasant.

Silvally tried to ask for help.

That was it. Silvally tried to ask for help and was attacked for it. He defended himself.

Was that all it took? Was that why he was wanted?

All because he needed help?

Artemis looked at the date of the encounter, then glanced at the memory loss details. He’d been wanted for seven hundred and thirteen days. Silvally’s memories only went back roughly two years.

Artemis felt her blood run cold.

Silvally would have been alive for maybe twenty days at most before everything happened. Twenty days of life before being labelled a criminal. Twenty days wandering around, confused, with a metal helmet strapped to his head, unable to remove it.

Twenty days of being alone, and lost, before his life changed forever.

All because he asked for help.

It all made sense now. Everything she’d been questioning clicked into place, and her whole body went numb with her realization.

Silvally’s refusal to leave his helmet behind because it was all he had.

His nervousness around other people—all he knew is they tried to hurt him.

The refusal to attack wild Pokémon first, because… they might need help, just like he did.

How he’d tense up around her and was unable to look at her for long. Why he’d shy away, and refuse to let her touch him. His panic at-

Artemis froze. Her heartbeat was thunderous. Her chest was tight, crushing her insides, making it impossible to breathe. The world around her faded from focus, yet she took in everything. She stared through the paper in front of her, unable to concentrate.

She’d hurt him.

And Silvally was innocent.

Artemis had chased him down and attacked him over and over again.

All Silvally did was try to ask for help.

Artemis hunted him. She burned him. She froze him. She’d hit him, threw him around, taunted him, tormented him, beat him until he collapsed and was struggling to stand. She hurt him until he was screaming in agony, desperate to escape her.

And Silvally did nothing to deserve it. He was innocent. It was a misunderstanding. A miscommunication.

And she’d hated him for just trying to live his life free from pain.

She’d tortured him. Traumatized him. Enjoyed his suffering because she thought-

But she’d never asked, and-

He was innocent!

And Artemis had enjoyed watching him quiver in fear at her presence.

No… No, that’s not what- she couldn’t have- she didn’t mean to- she just-

No. No! No! NO!

She protected Pokémon! She did! She… she helped people, and-and tried to keep them safe! She’d never-

But… she did. She did, and she’d enjoyed it.

Artemis looked at her shaky paws. She could remember her claws digging into him. Feel her teeth sinking into his shoulder. Smell the crimson that soaked into her fur with every encounter, and the scent of burning flesh.

She could hear his agonized cries. The tortured wails. Screaming in pain and agony, trying to get away. Away from her. Away from the fire and claws and teeth and relentless torture over and over and over again.

He just needed help.

Artemis tried to push herself upright, only to collapse to the ground. She forced herself upward once more and staggered, the world around her spinning.

Artemis looked down, unable to feel her body. She was an observer, watching herself struggle forward. Her vision was dark around the edges, and her heartbeat drowned out everything around her. There was a ringing in her ears, a shrill whine that muffled everything.

She felt something press upon her mind, but couldn’t make out what was happening.

Artemis tried to say something—tried to say she was going for a walk. She felt her lips and tongue move but had no idea if she’d even spoken.

All she could make out was a cold numbness that filled her beyond capacity, clawing at her insides, sending all her senses into a death spiral.

Artemis put one paw in front of the other. That’s all she could do. One step at a time.

She needed to think.

She needed to breathe.

She needed to get away.

Away from him.

Chapter Text

“I’m going for a walk.” Artemis's words were barely audible—more akin to a whisper than anything.

Mew’s ears folded back, concern for the Ninetales building. She knew that when Artemis finally realized the truth it would be a shock, but the sheer outpouring of emotion and conflict coming from her was worrying.

Yet, she let Artemis walk away.

It wouldn’t do any good to immediately go after her. Hovering and trying to convince her that everything was okay wasn’t going to help. In all honesty, it wasn’t okay. What happened was abhorrent and cruel, but it wasn’t borne from maliciousness so much as a desire to keep others safe.

To Artemis, the ends almost always justified the means.

In this instance though, the means just led to horror and cruelty.  

Mew needed to let Artemis settle her thoughts and calm down. She knew how fragile someone could be while this emotional. One wrong word might lead to a spiral that had no end if someone wasn’t strong enough to pull themselves out of it.  

No, Mew had to wait and let Artemis process everything.

Mew and Silvally remained lying on the grass, watching Artemis walk away from them. The fox’s steps were forced and unsteady—her whole body seemed stiff. She vanished over the crest of the hill, leaving the two alone.

The duo stared out over the hill for a full minute, silent as the breeze ghosted through their fur.

“Is everything okay?” Silvally asked. He winced and rubbed at his throat, growling under his breath. Mew could feel the brief annoyance from the Pokémon.

Mew raised a paw and pushed a Heal Pulse over Silvally, working her energy through him. His neck glowed a little brighter than the rest of him, her intent to soothe his vocal cords working its magic.

“Thanks.” Silvally’s voice was smoother now, a little less scratchy and painful. “Mew?” he prompted.

Is everything okay?

That was a hard question to answer.

Bluntly put, no, it wasn’t. Nothing about any of this was okay. It shouldn’t have happened in the first place, and the extent it went to was horrific. It should have been all that was needed to get the Expedition Society and all its continental branches to change how they operate.

But… Mew was sure things would be okay.

Eventually.

As for right now? That remained to be seen.

“Mew?” Silvally asked again.

“Oh, sorry! I was just thinking.” Mew giggled and fixed Silvally with a smile. “Everything is alright, nothing to worry about. Artemis just learned something a little shocking is all. She just needs to think about it.”

Silvally blinked once, dipped his head in a nod, and turned his attention back to the book in the grass.

Now it was Mew’s turn to be confused. He just accepted that answer without any follow-up questions. She could feel that little bit of curiosity at the back of his mind, urging him to explore and ask. Then it was gone, smothered, no longer anything to worry over.

Was he suppressing things? Is that why he was so calm?

Did Silvally learn to suppress his emotions so he could keep going?

She recalled how he felt from his memories early on. All that confusion, curiosity, loneliness, claustrophobia, desperation, fear, shock, anger, disappointment, depression, anxiety—the list went on and on.

Now when she looked at him? Other than the occasional jolt of fear when he looked at Artemis, his terror when he woke up in the guild for the first time, and his confusion, Silvally’s been terrifyingly neutral. Maybe after she talked with Artemis, Mew would need to have an in-depth conversation with Silvally.

Mew shook her head, breaking free from the thoughts swirling around in her mind. She could deal with those later. Right now, she had to finish helping Silvally, and then go check on Artemis.

All it took was a thought for the book on the grass to lift, hovering before the two of them. Unfortunately, the breeze had turned some of the pages, and Mew couldn’t recall the exact spot they’d been on.

She might be a psychic type but she didn’t have a perfect memory. Mew grumbled about Pokémon with natural photographic memory and absurdly high intelligence. She looked a little slow in comparison—especially for a legendary Pokémon.

“Hey, uh, silly question,” Mew started. “Do you remember what part we were on?”

“Three pages ahead.”

She hadn’t taught him the numerical symbols yet.

“Thanks!” Mew flashed him a smile and flipped through the pages.  

An image sprawled across both pages in bright colours—there was no doubt this was a book aimed at a younger audience. A Mudkip and a Vulpix were walking along the edge of a rather steep cliff, with no other path available to them. A river ran along the bottom of the ravine, carving through the landscape. The Mudkip was an explorer, shown by the red scarf around its neck. The Vulpix was not, merely a civilian who looked a little scuffed up.

“Mudkip led Vulpix along the cliff, checking to make sure it was safe,” Mew read. “They were almost at the end when all of a sudden…” She flipped the page. “Mudkip started to fall! She tried her best to stay up, but the ground was too slippery. Just as Mudkip started to tip over the edge, Vulpix grabbed her scarf! He pulled her back onto solid ground, saving the Pokémon that had rescued him.”

Mew flipped the page again and winced. She’d forgotten about this part.

“Finally, they had passed their last challenge. Mudkip helped Vulpix back home, safe and sound once more. Vulpix was so happy and thankful, that he joined Mudkip’s Rescue Team the very next day! Mudkip and Vulpix set off on another adventure, ready to take on Bad Pokémon, explore new lands, and save the day again. The end.”

Mew awkwardly closed the book, her tail flicking around with agitation.

“Uh… I hope that helped a little. I don’t have a lot of small books to read, and Artemis really liked that one when she was younger.” Mew laughed sheepishly. “I figured that would be the easiest to start with.”

“Thank you,” Silvally replied. “It helped.”

Mew floated upward, hovering above the soft grass that she longed to return to—reading on a hill, under the sun, with a… friend? Yeah, friend. It was nice. She missed this kind of close interaction with people, and the time to just relax for a while.

Unfortunately, she had to be responsible. The glow around the book faded, and it landed on the grass in front of Silvally, the cover face-up.

“Speaking of Artemis, I should really go check on her. Are you going to be okay if I leave for a few minutes?” Mew asked.

Silvally nodded and used a talon to flip open the book, his eyes scanning over the page. He looked back up at Mew and… well, it wasn’t a smile. His ears relaxed to the side a bit, and there was almost no visible sign of tension in his body.  

“Uhh… Right, teachers need to give out homework. That’s their thing. Um…” Mew tapped a paw on her chin and hovered around in circles. “Okay, you can… you can… uh… Do you have any ideas?” Her ears folded back, and she giggled, embarrassed.

“I’ll read it again,” Silvally supplied. He grimaced and cleared his throat. It seemed like the effect of Heal Pulse was wearing off, or he’d been talking too much.

“Again? Do you remember all of it? That was thirty pages of a whole new language, are you sure?”

“Repeating words, and pictures,” Silvally explained, pointing to the book with a talon. “I’ll get it.”

“Okay, if you’re sure. But! I’m going to ask you all about it when I get back!” Mew pointed a paw at Silvally and smiled. “Don’t think you can just pretend to read it, I’ll know…” She squinted accusingly at him and stuck out her tongue.

This time Silvally actually smiled. Mew’s heart soared, and she couldn’t help the grin on her face. He didn’t look nearly as intimidating with a smile.

“I’ll be right back. Stay here!”

With a single thought, the world shifted around Mew. Her vision distorted, swirling together into a tunnel of light and colour. Sounds mixed with one another. Even the smell of everything blended, all her senses in complete chaos. She was used to it.

The world popped back into its normal state.

Mew teleported herself to the edge of the forest she’d seen from the hill. Artemis was walking in this direction when she left, and with her state of mind, Artemis would likely keep heading straight. At least, Mew hoped she did.

Mew turned in a quick circle to check the plains around her, just in case Artemis had stopped somewhere else. Seeing a significant lack of the white fox, Mew floated higher. She soared above the trees and made wide sweeping turns, inspecting as much of the forest as she could.

It took Mew a few minutes to find what she was looking for.

Sort of.

 It was the angry shout that tipped her off, followed by a large explosion.

She wheeled around and flew toward the smoke rising above the forest, looking down to see if she could spot Artemis. There were signs of the fox—plenty of gashes torn into the trees and shards of ice impaled in the trunks. Solid chunks of ice littered the ground, and as she flew closer, a dense mist hovered over the forest floor.

Mew weaved between the trees, closer toward the center of all the damage. She made sure to keep herself high above the ground just in case Artemis was still taking her emotions out on the forest. Her caution was unneeded.

Artemis sat in the middle of a clearing, steam rolling off her body in thin wisps. Her ears were folded back and all nine of her tails thrashed in agitation, kicking up grass and stirring leaves around. Small spots of fire danced along the grass and ice bathed multiple trees around the area.   

She was looking down at her paws, her limbs shaking with…

Mew couldn’t tell what emotion sat at the forefront of Artemis’s mind. It was all a horrendous swirl of feeling that gave Mew anxiety by just focusing on it. It must have bothered Artemis more than Mew thought it would.

“Artemis?” Mew asked.

The Ninetales jolted in surprise and whirled around, trying to spot Mew. Her ears folded back, and her eyes widened, equal parts shame, embarrassment, and frustration coming to the front of her mind.

Mew didn’t leave the fox guessing and drifted down from the branches. She came to a stop in front of Artemis, hovering, watching the Ninetales with concern. Her long pink tail flicked and curled around, letting Mew grab at it and squeeze anxiously.

“Are… are you okay?”

The two stared at each other. Several trees around them groaned from the stress of the ice-attacks, and fire crackled not far off.

While Mew was calm, collected, and maybe a little worried, Artemis was a mess. Her eyes were bloodshot and watery, her fur was covered in grass, and her breathing was off. Artemis’s paws shifted and her tails whipped around as if unable to stay still.

Artemis was the first to break the stare, averting her gaze to the forest floor and taking a deep, long breath, only to let it out in a watery little laugh.

“No. No, I’m not okay.” Artemis kept her gaze low and raised a paw, looking at her claws. “I… You were right. You were right the whole time, and I just didn’t believe you.”

Mew floated a little lower to the ground, squeezing her tail anxiously. Should she say something? What could she even say? Should she try to fix this and repair everything, or should she let Artemis keep going?

Mew remained silent and settled on the ground, standing upright, once again in Artemis’s line of sight.

“How… how could I believe any of that? It’s impossible—something like that doesn’t happen. And I was a part of it.” Artemis looked her in the eye and clenched her jaw. “I don’t think I can keep doing this, Mew. Now that I know…”

“Wh- Artemis, you can’t just-“

“I hurt him, Mew! Bad. I…” Artemis took a breath and clenched her paws, more steam rolling off her body. “I fucked up. I’m supposed to hunt down criminals and help Pokémon in need. That’s what I do; that’s what I’ve always done. And I fucked it up!”

“You didn’t know-“

“I didn’t ask!” Artemis snapped. “I just went with it—I never told him why. I burned him and froze him and hurt him. Now he’s terrified of me. I excused it because I thought I was teaching him a lesson—teaching him to be afraid of me; to keep him from hurting other Pokémon ever again. Instead…”

Silence filled the clearing once again. Artemis’s tails thrashed anxiously, and a growl built up in her chest, equal parts frustration, anger, guilt, depression, and confusion.

Mew didn’t know what to say. So, she didn’t. She floated off the ground and flew straight at Artemis. Pink paws buried themselves in Artemis’s fur, and Mew nuzzled into her neck. Her tail coiled around one of the fox’s forelegs and squeezed her gently.

Artemis froze, took a breath, and sighed. Slowly, her tails curled around, returning the hug with Mew, burying the small Pokémon in a sea of fur.

“He just needed help,” Artemis whispered.

“I know.”

“I-I started apprenticing because I wanted to help people. I wanted to stop the bad Pokémon. I… I wanted to make sure that no one else would lose everything. No one deserves that.” Artemis leaned down and nuzzled into the top of Mew’s head. “I picked the name because of that. I take the dangerous jobs because of that. I hunt down criminals and killers because of that.”

“I know.”

“No, you- I put everything into it, Mew. I… I thought I was better than the others because I worked harder and could do more. I tried my best to be a good example and inspire everyone else to do more—to be better.” Artemis laughed dryly, her voice growing soft. “Silvally needed help, Mew. He lost everything too, and I… I hurt him so badly. Over and over again. He needs help, and I… I can’t do it. I did terrible things because I thought I was helping other Pokémon. Protecting them from him. I fucked up.”

…

Mew took a breath and braced herself. She was going to hate herself for this, she was sure of it.

“How are you going to fix it?”

“What?”

“You fucked up. How are you going to fix it?” Mew pulled away and flew out of Artemis’s reach.

“I-I can’t,” Artemis protested. “Mew, I can’t even get close to-“

“Did you need to get that close to help him this week? To teach him everything you have?”

“No, but he’s terrified of me.”

“Yet he follows you and is willing to talk to you. He sleeps in the same room as you do, and eats at your table.”

“I- But that’s because he has to. Anyone else would be better off helping him. Someone that’s not involved in any of this.”

“And where are you going to find someone like that? Where are you going to find a Pokémon who’s strong enough to watch him? Everyone on the Grass Continent knows he’s been on the run for two years. Are you going to bring in a total stranger and make them learn everything? Force Silvally to work with someone else? Maybe ship him off to a new continent and confuse him more? Make it harder on him?”

“What- no! No, that’s not-“

“You’re giving up because you feel guilty. You want to run away so you don’t have to think about it.” Mew’s tone was accusatory, and she pointed a paw at Artemis.

“I don’t give up, and I’m not running away!” Artemis growled. She stood up and glared at Mew, steam rolling off her body. “It’s not like that. I’m trying to help.”

“Then help him.”

“I’m trying to.”

“You’re trying to run away!”

“I’m. Not. Running!”

“Then help him!”

“I can’t!”

The two both took a breath, glaring at one another. At almost the same time, their gazes softened, and they both looked away. Mew drifted down to settle on the grass, while Artemis sat down again, looking past Mew.

“Artemis.” Mew took another breath and sighed. “I know it’s hard, but you’re the best one to help him. I legally can’t, or I would. Who else do you know that’s going to understand everything, know how he works, and treat him properly?”

Artemis remained silent.

“You understand what happened. You’re strong enough to watch over him. You know him better than anyone else right now, and unless we can find his family or friends, that’s the best we’ve got.”

“But I don’t know anything about him,” Artemis protested.

“Then learn. Watch him; help him.” Mew floated higher and drifted into Artemis’s line of sight. The two locked eyes, fiery red meeting bright blue. “Forget about all the Expedition Society stuff for a moment. No explorers, no criminals, nothing. He’s someone who lost his memory and needs help. He’s a Pokémon that needs your help.”

“I can’t.”

“You can.” Mew drifted forward, and hugged the Ninetales again, holding her as well as she could. “You’ve been helping Pokémon for years. This whole thing with Silvally doesn’t mean all that time was for nothing. You help Pokémon, Artemis, it’s what you do. You’re good at it.”

“But… What if I hurt him again?”

“You won’t.”

“But I could.”

“I trust you.” Mew pulled away and flew a little higher up. Her paws cupped Artemis’s cheeks and she leaned forward, closing her eyes, and pressed her forehead against the fox’s. “I know you’re going to do the right thing. And don’t argue, I’m a psychic—I can tell.” Mew giggled at that last part, and a soft huff of amusement escaped Artemis.

“I…” Artemis closed her eyes and leaned into the close contact with Mew. “This is so fucked up. All of it. I’m sorry I didn’t believe you. That was stupid.”

“Yeah, it kinda was.” Mew giggled. “Are you going to be okay?”

“Eventually,” Artemis sighed. “Just give me a few minutes. I don’t think I can look at him right now.”

Mew hummed her agreement and pulled away from Artemis. She floated lower and hugged the Ninetales around the neck again, her paws slowly working through the soft fur. Soft purrs rolled from Mew’s chest, enjoying the warmth and close contact with Artemis.

This was nice. The lead-up to everything sucked, and Mew still felt guilty over how she turned Artemis’s view around. She believed everything she said though—nothing but blunt logic and honesty was going to get through to Artemis when she was that out of it.

“How did the reading lessons go?” Artemis asked.

“I’m not too sure. He was following along when I was reading. He also figured out the page numbers, but I don’t know if he was counting from the start or not.” Mew admitted.

“Er, where is he?”

“Re-reading the book on the hill. Or, trying to.”

“You don’t think he’ll take off?”

“Do you?”

“… No, I don’t.”

~{O}~{O}~{O}~

Learning a written language was interesting. It was like a puzzle, finding the matching parts that worked with what he knew. Silvally thought it was going well for the most part. He recognized shapes that showed up repeatedly, and whatever symbols that normally strung the ideas together. Just the simple things.

And then there were the footprints. Why were there footprints? They stuck out from the rest of the writing, and just halted all progress while he tried to figure out what they were for. And why is there an accent on a footprint!? It didn’t make any sense.

With Mew’s initial reading, and his memory of the story, Silvally was able to piece together most of the literature. He’d need to get hold of books with images in them until he could better associate the symbols with their meaning.

That fact bothered him for a reason he couldn’t quite place.

At least the numbers at the bottom of the page were simple. He just had to associate these new symbols with the old ones—they followed the same pattern. Thank goodness for small miracles. However, this whole thing would end up being useless after his community service was over. It’s not like he would have books or be doing math out in the wilderness.

He didn’t plan on sticking around.

Though, maybe he could swing by the library to grab a book every now and then. Just to stave off boredom. There was no chance he was going to be staying any longer than he had to. Out there he was safe and free. Maybe he’d visit Mew and they could share stories occasionally. That sounded tolerable.

Silvally carefully used the tip of his talon to hook under the cover and open the book. Maybe the fourth read-through would help him figure it out.

He was rather enjoying this—being out in the wilderness and alone. He felt more relaxed than he had in a while now that he was by himself. The sun was warm on his back, and the breeze was cool in his fur. It was peaceful.

Unfortunately, just as he was about to start reading again, he caught a sound approaching from the other side of the hill. His ears perked up and he focused on the direction of the noise, his body growing more tense. The sound put him on edge, but he couldn’t properly make it out. He could feel the fibres of his muscles twitching, and his talons clenched a little tighter.

The sound grew louder, closer, cresting the hill-

It was Artemis.

Silvally couldn’t stop the jolt of fear that shot through him, eyes locked on the Ninetales for what felt like entirely too long.

White fur. Red eyes. A relentless hunter-

Silvally took a breath and wrenched his gaze to the side, focusing instead on Mew.

His lungs filled again, and he banished the fear to the back of his mind. Calm. He needed to be in control. Relaxed. Panicking meant he couldn’t think, and not thinking led to pain. Impulsive decisions lead to mistakes, which meant he would hurt.

Mew floated beside Artemis, drifting along with a smile on her face. That helped Silvally focus and relax just a little more. They appeared to be communicating in private, or at least, Mew was; Artemis spoke softly instead.

His gaze flicked back to Artemis, now that he was properly prepared for her, and- Why was she staring at him? She was frozen in place and was looking at him oddly. Her tails fell, and her ears folded back slightly. It seemed like she was loathe to even blink, watching him intently.

As curious—and worried—as he was over this new expression toward him, looking at Artemis for too long made his fur start to itch, and his body tingled where he’d been burned and frozen.

“Hey, Silvally, we’re back!” Mew greeted. She flew closer toward him and hovered above the book. Why she was doing it upside down was unknown to him. “Didja go through it again?”

“Three times,” he replied.

“Three?!” Mew exclaimed. She whirled around to float upright again, her eyes wide. “Heck. I think we’re going to need more books. Are you starting to recognize some of those runes?”

“The easy ones.”

“Well, don’t worry too much, we can go over them again later.” Mew drifted away from Silvally, floating herself back to be able to watch both himself and Artemis. 

The book in front of him glowed pink and lurched into the air. Silvally fully expected Mew to take the book back. Instead, she guided the book into his Treasure Bag with a smile and a playful flick of her tail.

“Hold onto that for me, okay? You can keep it until you can read it without any problems.”

Silvally blinked in surprise, and the corner of his mouth quirked up in a smile. Mew was far too nice to him. He’d need to figure out how to repay her for everything she’s done for him.

An uncomfortable feeling tickled the back of Silvally’s mind—not the touch of a psychic, but instinct. He was being watched. His gaze drifted to the source of the feeling, and his smile vanished.

Artemis was still watching him. Her gaze flicked away for a moment when he caught her, and then settled on him again.

His fur stood on end, the uncomfortable feeling increasing tenfold. Did he do something? Was she going to attack him? What was wrong? Artemis was always dismissive and did little more than glance at him to make sure he was still there. Those red eyes were focused on him for entirely too long.

What did he do wrong?

His heart rate spiked, concern overwhelming the forced calm for a few seconds, before he managed to wrestle it back. He’d figure it out. There was a reason, and he knew he didn’t do anything that would be cause for alarm. Mew was here too, he was safe.

Mew seemed to sense the tension between the two, or maybe it was Silvally’s fur standing on end and Artemis’s intense gaze that tipped her off. The pink Pokémon drifted her way between the duo, turning around to look at Artemis.  

“Sorry. Lost in thought.” Artemis’s voice was soft and sounded worn.

“I think we’ve all worked really hard today. Why don’t we take a break and have lunch?” Mew turned toward Silvally and flashed him a smile. “Whatcha think?”

Silvally nodded. Food was good, and even though he’d managed to snag some berries and apples on the trek earlier on, he could still go for a meal. The single plate of dinner and whatever else he managed to scrounge up wasn’t enough.

“Artemis?”

“Yeah. I think I could use a break.”

“Great!”

There was no word or warning to Mew’s actions. One moment Silvally was lying on a grassy hill in the middle of nowhere; the next, he was given vertigo and spat out onto sand. He grit his teeth and pushed himself to all fours, grimacing at the feeling of sand in his fur.

“Ack! Mew, give us a little warning,” Artemis huffed. She’d stumbled and fallen into the sand as well. The complaints didn’t last long as she got to her paws and shook herself off, dislodging the gritty material.

“Oops, sorry!” Mew giggled and gave the pair a sheepish grin.

Silvally finally took in his surroundings—they were on a beach. The beach on the outskirts of Treasure Town, if the smell in the air was right. The scent of the ocean was overwhelming, but the smell of flowers, fire, and civilization was apparent.

The dozens of Pokémon working on the docks were another giveaway. The amount of activity in the port was staggering, Pokémon of all sorts somehow making sense of the chaos.

Unfortunately, the sudden appearance of the trio started drawing attention. It’s not every day that a former criminal, a legendary explorer, and a mythical Pokémon just appear on the beach. More and more heads turned to face them, and Silvally had to look away.

“Mew, why are we at the beach?” Artemis asked.

“For a picnic!” Mew cheered. She did a little loop in the air, her tail swishing back and forth happily. “I’ll be right back, I’m gonna go get everything!”

“Mew, there’s a ship selling food, and there’s a café-“

Pop!

“And she’s gone,” Artemis finished.

Several seconds passed with the duo just watching the spot Mew had been, expecting her to show up again with what her “everything” entailed. Silvally was a little concerned that she meant everything.

Still no Mew.

Silvally shifted his gaze to the side, following the curve of the beach and- He paused, looking at that yawning cave entrance he hadn’t realized was just a little too close for his liking. Several quick steps carried Silvally closer to the docks.

And toward those eyes. There were a number of Pokémon watching him and Artemis. He didn’t recognize many of the faces. Did they just arrive in town from the boats? That would explain their stunned expressions. The few Pokémon that did look familiar barely gave Artemis a passing glance, though he caught a couple of glares directed at himself.

Artemis was watching him too. She was giving him that look again, the one he couldn’t place. It was intense, but not some kind of glare. Her ears folded back slightly, and her tails waved uncertainly instead of their usual flowing movements. She looked tired. A little drained, as if just looking at him sucked the energy out of her.

Why was she looking at him like that? What did he do?

Silvally broke his gaze away from Artemis—he was growing too uncomfortable again. He sat himself down in the sand and looked out over the ocean instead, ignoring the sounds and sights of civilization.

Waves lapped at the beach, and a soft breeze rolled off the water, carrying the salty tang of the sea. The sound of water gently splashing upon the sand was repetitive and relaxing. Multiple bird Pokémon flew overhead, uncaring of the world below, letting out their cries and calls without concern. The wind that came off the ocean brushed by, ghosting through fur and over scales. It rustled the leaves of the bushes and trees behind him, adding to the natural ambiance.

Silvally closed his eyes and took a deep breath. This was nice—relaxing. It was okay right now. He was okay. Things-

Pop!

“I’m back!”

A strangled sound of surprise left Silvally, and he jumped away from his spot. He staggered a few steps to the side, and coughed, the surprise and the cry irritating his throat. Another cough forced its way up, and then another, devolving into a coughing fit that had him hunched over in the sand.

“Oh! Silvally, I’m so sorry!” Mew darted forward and hovered in front of Silvally. He’d already stopped coughing by the time she used Heal Pulse on him again, but he appreciated it all the same.

Stupid body. It had to be broken somehow—nothing about it felt right when he paid attention.

“Thank you.” Silvally looked up at Mew and habitually rubbed at his neck with a talon, blinking at her.

“We need to get you a bell,” Artemis commented. She stepped closer to the pair but left them ample space.

“Wha- A bell!? I’m not that bad!” Mew protested.

“That’s the second time today,” Artemis replied.

“I- Three times is a problem! Twice is just a happy accident.” Mew crossed her arms and turned away from Artemis with a huff. “Me, with a bell. I can’t believe you. I think Silvally and I are going to get all the dessert for ourselves now.”

Both Silvally and Artemis finally turned their attention to where Mew appeared.

A massive blanket spread out over the sand, the checkerboard pattern almost painful on the eyes. There was what amounted to an actual feast spread across it, with a variety of meats, fruits, vegetables, berries, and even some breads. A hot pink cake sat in the middle of it all, like a garish beacon of sweetness.  

Silvally really wanted to try it.

Artemis narrowed her eyes. “Mew?”

“Hmm?” Mew’s tail twirled innocently.

“Is that from the café?”

“Uh… Nope!”

“Those vegetables are grown on the Air Continent. You got these from the port—we could have just walked for thirty seconds!”

“That’s twenty-eight seconds wasted!” Mew complained.

“It- I- What?” Artemis looked baffled.

“Shush! Now we have more time for a picnic. Go eat!” Mew pointed at the spread of food, encouraging Artemis forward with a little psychic push. She gestured Silvally forward as well, beckoning him toward the blanket. “Oh, and you’re still banned from dessert, Artemis.”

“What!?” she cried.

Silvally followed Mew’s invitation, ignoring the irritated fox to the side. He was more focused on the absurd variety of things that were there. Almost all of this was new to him, and even though he knew what some things were conceptually, he’d never actually seen them out in the wilderness.

He still had no idea how he knew what they were. Thinking too hard about it just made his head hurt.

“I said you’re banned from dessert.” The playful giggle Mew gave off contrasted heavily with the pink barrier that formed around the sweets. “None for you.” Mew stuck out her tongue.

“Why not?”

“Because I know you’re going straight for the sugary stuff. That hasn’t changed since you were a Vulpix. I saw you eyeing them.”

“No, I’m not!”

“Are too! Besides, you don’t need them. It means you’ll need to burn it off later. I’m helping!”

“I’ll need to- Mew! You haven’t walked a single step today.” Artemis narrowed her eyes accusingly.

Silvally watched as Mew froze. She blinked and slowly drifted down to the sand. The glow surrounding her body vanished, and the pink Pokémon took a single step forward. Immediately the glow returned, and she shot back into the air.

“Now I have. You need a better argument,” she teased.

Artemis growled at Mew, and the sound caused Silvally’s heart to skip a beat. Still, he tried to tune out the two. There were many more interesting things to focus on.

He wiped one of his talons off on the blanket and delicately used a sharp claw to carve into some sort of pastry. Just a small slice—he’d feel bad if he took too much. He waited to see if Mew and Artemis would be joining him.

Mew zipped along the beach, low to the sand, while Artemis bounded after her. The Ninetales seemed to be far more energetic and upbeat than a few moments ago. The two kicked up sand as they darted around, their more outgoing nature coming to the forefront.

Silvally was content with occasionally glancing at the duo, just making sure they weren’t doing anything too crazy or running toward him. He was more focused on all the new things in front of him—all the different smells and colours and tastes that seemed overwhelming.

He’d be careful though. Only a little bit of each.

~{O}~{O}~{O}~

It turned out Silvally could eat a lot. A startling amount really. If Artemis hadn’t seen him eat dinner the previous night, or snack on things during their earlier trip, she could have easily believed he hadn’t eaten in days.

It was understandable, Silvally did seem a little thin compared to his larger frame. Hell, if he turned a specific way, she could count his ribs. She was going to need to work on that. Just not today—they’d all been a little too enthusiastic with the sickening amount of food Mew brought. They’d agreed to skip dinner that night.

Silvally had only taken a little bit at a time, and would always wait until he was encouraged by Mew that he could take more. And more. It reached the point that Silvally would slowly reach for something, and when no one would protest, take a small portion.

Except for the desserts. Mew would shamelessly encourage him to have more and try to keep Artemis away from them—at least until a third of them were gone. Oh, they were gone quickly; Silvally seemed to have a sweet tooth. Not even close to Artemis’s of course, but enough that she made a mental note to keep any chocolate purchases hidden from Silvally’s sight.

Artemis blinked and had to keep herself from showing the guilt that washed over her. Was he that thin because of her? Did her pursuit leave him unable to get enough to eat? How different would things be if that first encounter hadn’t happened—if Silvally had gotten the help he needed?

“-you alright? Artemis?” Kangaskhan asked. A hand waved in front of Artemis, cutting off her staring contest with the wall.

“Oh, sorry. I was thinking.” Artemis swished her tails nervously, hoping that was enough of an excuse. “What were you asking?”

“I was just wondering if you two did anything exciting, dear.” Kangaskhan’s eyes flicked between Artemis and Silvally. “After this morning, I figured things would get a little more thrilling.”

Artemis glanced over at Silvally, and couldn’t help that little irritated flick of her tails, or the sharp pain in her chest as her guilt twisted like a dagger. Maybe Mew had been right—she wanted to avoid being around Silvally. She hated that feeling.

As for Kangaskhan’s question…

“Nope, it was nice and calm. We collected some food for the guild and then spent some time reading. Mew did try to put us into a food coma, but we survived.” Artemis chuckled to herself and flashed Kangaskhan a smile. “It was as close to a day off as I’ve had in a while. Thank you again for inviting us.”  

“It’s not a problem at all, dear. You’re both welcome whenever you would like.”

“I’ll take you up on that offer, but only if you let me repay you from time to time.” Artemis’s tone was playful but serious in subject matter. Kangaskhan grumbled and muttered something about stubborn foxes, before conceding.

Artemis used one of her tails to curl around the cup and lifted it, sipping at the surprisingly strong tea. She could feel the exhaustion that built up through the day just bleed away, the healing properties of the Sitrus-infused tea doing wonders.

She’d need to visit Leafeon in the morning. If she couldn’t have her coffee, she was going to make some tea, dammit.

Silvally seemed to be responding well to it. His large talons were a little awkward around the stone cup, but he managed to lift it, albeit shakily. A little bit of the drink sloshed out over his jaw, but he quickly managed to get the hang of it, and tilted his head to a better angle, maneuvering around the metal that made the upper half of his face.

Artemis watched him as indirectly as she could, not wanting to stare. He seemed to tense up whenever she did. Still, seated across from him at a small table, it was difficult to avoid looking at him.

Silvally set his cup on the table, his talons slipping a little and causing it to hit harder than intended. His ears folded back and he lifted it to check for damage, before carefully setting it down again.

“Sorry,” he apologized. “Thank you. For the tea.” He added that second part after a moment's hesitation.

Artemis noticed that he didn’t wince or rub at his neck at all. No visible signs of pain and his voice sounded smoother—less scratchy. Maybe the tea had more uses than the obvious ones. A trip to Leafeon in the morning was definitely in order.

“You’re quite welcome, dear.” Kangaskhan flashed him a wide smile. “Would you like some more?”

Silvally nodded and hummed affirmatively, this time close enough for Kangaskhan to see it. The older Pokémon made to stand up from her seat and wobbled a little. Both Silvally and Artemis jumped to their feet, but Artemis’s tails shot out first, helping to balance the older woman.

“Miss K, careful. You sit down, I can go get it,” Artemis told her. She guided the older woman back to her seat, her tails providing support.

“Oh, come now. I’m old, not helpless,” Kangaskhan huffed. Still, she sat herself down and settled back in. “Thank you.”

“I’m not saying that, Kangaskhan. You’re being a wonderful host. Let me get it.” Artemis flashed a smile at the older Pokémon. “You’ve been working hard all day, take some time to rest.”

Artemis turned away and faced the fireplace that sat in the wall of Kangaskhan’s stone house. To her surprise, the kettle wasn’t hanging over the fire like normal. Silvally had it in a talon. He had type-shifted, his eyes, feathers, and tail glowing a dark blue.

He’d just reached into the fire and grabbed it. That was something Artemis could do as a fire-type. Kangaskhan had a metal stick to pull the container off the hanger so she didn’t burn herself. Silvally hobbled back toward the table, holding the steaming kettle by the handle, balancing on three legs.

Artemis backed up and made space for him, allowing Silvally to set the kettle on a slab of rock that sat on the wooden table. He took several steps back—without a noticeable limp or grimace at all, Artemis noted—and sat on the floor.

Silvally had an odd expression. He looked… almost pleased with himself. Content, maybe? He certainly wasn’t relaxed with the way his talons raked across the stone floor in his nervous habit.

Ever the wonderful host, while Artemis was distracted, Kangaskhan grabbed the handle and poured everyone more tea, topping off their cups. Artemis shot her a look, while the older Pokémon smiled to herself. Apparently, she was content with partially ignoring Artemis’s request that she relax.

First Mew, now Kangaskhan. Artemis was finding herself surrounded by troublemakers. She hoped Silvally wasn’t going to use those two as an example to follow. Mew was as motherly as she was chaos-incarnate, and Kangaskhan was more than content playing the role of stubbornly sweet grandmother.

“You’re trouble, you know that Miss K?” Artemis commented. She couldn’t help the little laugh that bubbled forth as she made her way back to her pillow.

“Shush. Respect your elders,” Kangaskhan retorted. “Kids these days, I swear.”

“Did you just-“ Artemis groaned. Instead of retorting, she turned to her newly filled cup, and replaced the words she wanted to say with near-boiling tea. They both would have had the same heat to them.

Movement across the table let Artemis know Silvally had seated himself at the table again. A single talon was used to dip into the hot liquid to test the temperature. Silvally winced, and pulled away, quickly cleaning the digit free of the hot drink.

“Careful, it’s hot,” Artemis said without thinking. She immediately regretted even saying anything. Of course it was hot, he’d just pulled it out of the fucking fire.

Silvally froze and his eyes flicked up to her. Just as quickly, he glanced away and nodded, focusing on the wall to the side. He was back to being silent and taking things in again.

Artemis felt her chest clench once more, that knife of guilt twisting around eagerly. Even the sound of her voice did something to him. Or was he just not expecting anything? Of course, she couldn’t ask him, that’d be out of character of her and probably stress him out even more.

Fuck!

She just couldn’t win. How did she mess everything up so badly? How the hell was she supposed to fix all of that? Two years of trauma; running for his life; scraping by on whatever he could find; being hunted like he was some trophy to be caught.

Artemis grit her teeth, that blade just worming its way deeper into her heart.

“Artemis?” Kangaskhan asked.

“Hm? Sorry, I’m just,” she paused, “just a little tired. A lot to think about.” She sighed softly, and took another sip from her cup, emptying it.

“Oh. If you need to talk, we can-“

“No, it’s okay. Nothing to worry about, Kangaskhan. I think I just need a little sleep.” Her tails fell flat on the ground, the energy she’d regained now lost to her again.

“Oh dear, I’m sorry if I kept you two up late.” Kangaskhan fussed over Artemis, just causing that little wedge in her chest to drive deeper.

She just couldn’t do anything right today, could she?

Artemis and Silvally helped Kangaskhan clean up, despite her protests. She huffed and sighed and carried on about not needing someone to clean up after her, but thanked them for the help nonetheless.

The walk back to the guild was silent. Artemis led the way while Silvally followed along behind her.

Probably because he needed to have her in his sights at all times. Just in case she decided to hurt him.

Artemis grit her teeth, and steam started to roll off her fur in irritation. What was wrong with her? She needed to snap out of it. This wasn’t going to do herself or Silvally any good if she kept shutting down like that. Despite her best efforts, Artemis couldn’t stop her mind from going in circles.

She couldn’t just treat Silvally like she’d been, now that she knew what really happened. But she couldn’t jump to helping him and being overly nice either—he’d think she was up to something and it would stress him out more.  

The last thing he needed was to be further strung out. He already flinched when she looked at him or spoke when he wasn’t expecting it. She couldn’t get near him without him shutting down. Changing how she behaved would make things that much worse.

How was she even supposed to help him? Why did Mew think she could do this? There was no way she’d be able to integrate him into society. Arceus, she wouldn’t be surprised if Silvally wanted to leave as soon as everything was over. She would too. She wouldn’t even wait. The fact that he was going along with it already said more about him than she realized.

“Goodnight.” Silvally’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

When did they get back to their room? When did she even lay down? She couldn’t recall the walk after leaving the Storage Depot.

Artemis looked at Silvally, expecting him to be facing her, or just watching in general. Instead, he had his back turned toward her and was lying on his side. He was curled up, and from where she was lying, the moonlight allowed Artemis to count the little shadows in the divots of his ribs.

How did she mess things up so badly?

“Goodnight, Silvally,” Artemis said softly. The only indication he’d heard at all was the slight twitch of his ear.

Artemis laid her head on her paws and looked at Silvally, working her eyes over him. She’d bitten him there. Burned him all across that side. That leg had been frozen to the point of skin splitting. Twice.

She could practically taste the blood and burning flesh from when she’d latched onto him with a Fire Fang.

Sleep didn’t come to Artemis easily. Every time she started to drift off, she was startled awake, memories of her attacks replaying in her head over and over again.

She thought she’d been keeping Pokémon safe—that couldn’t have been further from the truth.

Would she have ever met Silvally if Team Dusk hadn’t lashed out like they did? Would things have been different if anyone else ran into him first? How would she have handled it if she was the first Pokémon he ran into?

Artemis wanted to think she would have helped. She wanted to believe that she’d have watched and waited, and tried to understand before acting.

She knew the truth, though. An unknown Pokémon approaching her, making growling and muffled noises? She’d have burned the fur from his sides. She might have let him run, but the result would have been the same.

Artemis wasn’t any better than them.

She knew her parents would be disappointed in her.

…

Both sets.

Big thanks again to Junebugs for the fanart!

Chapter Text

Silvally was always a light sleeper. He wasn’t sure if it was natural, his body fine-tuned to specific sounds, or something learned on the run. Whatever the reason, it saved him countless times in the wilderness. Whether it was wild Pokémon hoping to make an easy meal of him, or Exploration Teams trying to catch him off guard, he’d been able to turn the tables and gain the upper hand. Upper talon? Paw? Claw? 

Normally he was thankful for this ability, not to mention the time it saved. It didn’t bother him in the guild either—the door muffled most of the noise, and he was getting used to the little shuffles and the soft breathing of Artemis. It was the sudden changes that had him awake in an instant, ears perked, muscles tense, ready to spring into action.

Unfortunately, his unwilling roommate had trouble sleeping. She’d drift off, only to jolt awake, startling him as well. This repeated almost every hour through the night, and, finally, when Artemis had managed to fall asleep for good, he’d only been able to get a couple of hours rest.

Still, he’d managed to fend off several Exploration Teams with only two hours of sleep in three days before. In comparison, this was trivial. All he had to do was follow someone who frequently wound up in his nightmares because of how much more vicious and relentless she was. Simple.

He huffed through his nose, the irony of the situation not lost on him. 

Silvally’s steps were gentle, following the much more exhausted and uncoordinated Ninetales. Artemis, normally graceful and lithe, was far from it. The first thing she’d said when she woke wasn’t a greeting, or even some grumbling about having to get up. The only thing she’d said was “tea”, and staggered to her paws. Somehow, she managed to get her Treasure Bag secured—somewhat messily—to her side. 

How Artemis managed to drag herself up the guild steps and down the large staircase was beyond him. He’d half expected her to trip and slide to the bottom completely limp. Thankfully, they’d arrived in Treasure Town without incident, though it was busy due to the late hour. 

Despite the people bustling around Treasure Town, the atmosphere was light. Pokémon were smiling and chatting with one another, walking in their own little groups, all going about their day. No one was actively negative toward him either! That helped improve his mood and eased the discomfort of being around so many people.

His worry about being in town gradually dropped. It was weird–some Pokémon greeted Silvally by name alongside Artemis. They didn’t call him names, they just referred to him normally and treated him like anyone else, as if he’d been here for ages.

Was that all it took? Just working alongside a beloved member of the community and suddenly he was treated differently? It’s not as if the tasks were that difficult, and seemed like the kind of thing a responsible community member should do anyway. At least, he thought they should be. It seemed relatively important that people had food and medicine. 

Of course, Silvally also received the same glares and angry mutters from before, but that started to die down. Before, almost every Pokémon regarded him with suspicion or anger, clenching with fear or hurling insults his way. Then, it dropped to little mutters and the occasional scathing look. Now, after everything, they merely glared but seemed loathe to say anything.

At least, it seemed that way so far. As far as he’d overheard, he was following behind one of the most well-known and revered explorers in town. If she looked exhausted and upset, it was smart to avoid saying anything negative toward the Pokémon she was working with. 

He knew first-hand how terrifying an angry Artemis was.

It was an oddly sobering experience, looking at all these Pokémon living their lives. Lives just as filled with excitement, people, and unique experiences, all different than his own. All this life, all these new things around him, contained to a tiny area of the world.

In the wilderness, his only concern was himself and his day-to-day needs. All there was to worry about was keeping away from Explorers and getting food, water, and rest. He’d wanted answers too but had no leads, and thus no time to start looking while running for his life.

Here, everything was so interconnected it was dizzying. In less than a minute Silvally witnessed an interaction that involved numerous Pokémon. A dock worker delivered a crate to a merchant’s stand. The Pokémon running the stand opened the crate and set some sort of wooden figure on their table. Someone else purchased the figure and turned to hand it to their child, who clutched it tight to their chest. Four heavily interconnected lives, relying on one another in a chain of events that none of the others had a part in. 

A glance revealed a similar scene all over Kecleon Market–strangers meeting strangers, exchanging words, goods, and smiles. The atmosphere was light, sounds of joy filled the air, and the scent of various baked goods, meats, and other fruits mingled with one another. A gentle breeze rolled off the ocean, and the sun cast a soothing warmth on Treasure Town. 

The instinctual part of his mind hated this—there were too many unknown variables around him. Pokémon, he didn’t know, and many of them used to or still hated him. Treasure Bags seemed to be on almost every Pokémon, potentially filled with dozens of items to be used against him. He could be jumped from any direction, and the thought made his skin crawl.

The logical part of his mind recognized a peaceful open-air market with people just going about their lives and having a good time. There was no shouting or screaming, no one angry or causing a fight. Everyone was focused on their own things, interacting with all manner of Pokémon without issue. The only negativity was the occasional glare, and the wide berth given to himself and Artemis.

That could very well be due to Artemis’s mood, however.

Leafeon didn’t seem to be improving it at all, much to Silvally’s concern. 

“Well, good almost afternoon… Arceus, you look like shit.” Leafeon’s blunt commentary and deadpan expression managed to break through Artemis’s exhausted state. Barely—she huffed a laugh through her nose.

“Tea.” Artemis used a paw to slam coins down on the table, followed by her head dropping to the surface with a thump. “Please,” she added, almost an afterthought. 

“Do I look like a barista to you?” Artemis’s glare encouraged Leafeon to snap his jaw shut. “Oh, it’s one of those days, eh?” A wry chuckle rolled from the farmer and he turned, hopping down from the crate he stood on. “I see Kangaskhan made good on her word. I’ll have to give ‘er another bag as thanks.”

“You make it sound like a drug deal,” Artemis mumbled.

“Ha, I wish! There’s probably more money in that.” Leafeon laughed and turned around, holding up a little cloth sack with a vine, flashing Artemis a grin. “Why, ya want some?”

Artemis narrowed her eyes and a low growl rolled from her jaws. It wasn’t like her normal growl, it was more subdued and relaxed, almost playful. That didn’t keep Silvally’s heart from skipping a beat. He tensed and jerked away from her, not expecting the rush of adrenaline. Sharp talons sank into the stone below, carving out grooves as he took a breath. He shook his head, snapping himself out of that little rush. 

Leafeon noticed the reaction—his gaze flicked over to Silvally, then to Artemis, his eyes widening.

“Ey, easy.” Leafeon stepped on the crate and plopped the bag on the table in front of Artemis. “I wouldn’t sell to ya anyway. You’re already strung out enough for the three of us.” Leafeon leaned across the table toward Silvally, who’d distanced himself from Artemis, attempting to involve him in the conversation. “Keep an eye on ‘er for me, will ya? Make sure she doesn’t collapse from lack of caffeine; she lives on the stuff- ack!”

One of Artemis’s tails bonked Leafeon over the head, knocking his sunhat askew. He cursed under his breath and grumbled, using a paw to fix his hat, the leaf between his ears flopping about.

Artemis rolled her eyes. “He’s kidding, that’s not going to happen,” she huffed.

“Killjoy,” Leafeon grumbled, rubbing a paw on the back of his head. “It’s nice to meet ya properly, Silvally.” He dipped his head in greeting. “I’ve heard a lot of good things about ya. I’m Leafeon, the best farmer at this table.”

Silvally blinked, caught off-guard. It took a moment before he remembered to return the gesture, dipping his head toward the farmer. He just needed to remember to match the manners shown. 

“You’re the only farmer at this table,” Artemis huffed. “Thanks, Leafeon. I think we should get going, we’re already behind today.”

A pink glow enveloped the pouch, and a quick flick of a tail shot it into her Treasure Bag, which closed with the snap of a latch. She seemed much more alert and awake than when they’d arrived. Silvally idly noted that an ability like that would be easier to use than trying to be delicate with his talons–unwieldy things. 

“Oh! Right. Well, don’t let lil ol’ me stop you two.” Leafeon slipped into his false accent and bowed to the Ninetales. “My deepest apologies Lady Artemis. I humbly- ack!” Artemis’s tail smacked the back of his head a second time, knocking his hat forward.

Silvally blinked, a little smile forming, unable to help his amusement at the display. The feeling faded as Artemis turned to face him. Her ears twitched forward and flicked back, as if unsure where to settle. Her tails gave that hesitant swirl again, giving away something that Silvally couldn’t place. 

Then, she slipped by without a word, maintaining the respected distance between one another. Silvally pushed down the curiosity that bubbled up, remaining quiet. Instead, he turned to follow after the fox, his back to the farmer still struggling with his hat. Silvally followed behind Artemis at his regular distance, careful to avoid running into any of the other Pokémon. 

A shout from behind caught their attention. 

“Ey, Artemis!” Leafeon called. The two looked back at the farmer. “You overpaid! Come back-“ The sharp glare Artemis sent him had the farmer fall silent. A wry smile made its way onto his face. “Right, right, one of those days,” Leafeon chuckled. “You two take care now.”

“Oh, Leafeon.” Artemis stopped in her tracks and faced the farmer properly. “Thank you,” she tilted her head toward Silvally, “for everything.”

Some sort of understanding seemed to pass between the two, leaving Silvally with only more unanswered questions. He looked between the two Pokémon, one of his ears cocked to the side in confusion.  

“Come on, let's go get this not-coffee made. I wanna get a job request and finish it up quickly. We’ve got work to do.” Artemis looked at him for a moment, fixing him with a gaze that he was unable to place.

Without a word, she turned away and began her walk through the streets. Silvally fell into step behind her, lost as to what had just happened. What had Leafeon said or done for Artemis? That seemed like more than just a normal thanks. 

The grass type had been pleasant; Silvally decided he liked the farmer. Leafeon was slotted into that ‘maybe friends’ category alongside Kangaskhan, Lucario, and Wigglytuff. If things went well and he got his freedom back, he would visit them whenever he returned from the wilderness to get supplies. Silvally wasn’t expecting to find people in town he would get along with. He thought it would have been full of awful Pokémon. 

It was an oddly pleasant surprise.

~{O}~{O}~{O}~

Artemis still wasn’t in the right state of mind when she stepped into the café. Sure, she perked up from the conversation with Leafeon, and being able to talk with others made her feel a little better overall; however, it didn’t erase yesterday’s jarring realization or the lost sleep. It still weighed heavily on her.

Being an explorer of high renown, she often found herself rushing to perform more work and inspire others. There was no time to stop and chat when there were criminals to catch, new dungeons to explore, and Pokémon to rescue. Social bonds weren’t exactly high on Artemis’s priority list anyway. Of the friends she could count on her tails, almost all of them were through connections with her parents, or her work in the guild. People knew of her, but no one really knew her.

She was fine with that. No one harassed her where explorers frequented, and other than civilians asking for autographs or wanting to talk, there was little in the way of her job. No team wanted to fight her for the jobs she took. No one sought her attention because there was none to give—she was busy.

The only time she stepped into the café was to get herself a coffee, and maybe a small bite to eat before she was off. The last two years were repetitive: grab a drink, eat a snack, be polite to the people who said “hello,” and leave. Always alone, and only recently with Dugtrio, Exploud, and Bibarel to catch Silvally.

Artemis didn’t really stop to take in the types of Pokémon that frequented the café. Yes, it was for explorers, rescue teams and the like; not guild teams. Guilds had certain rules to abide by, or there were certain appearances and social cues that had to be upheld.

An Explorer Cafe tended to fit a broader type. There were mission requests that no one else would take; bounties for Pokémon that committed provable crime; freelance muscle for any reason; even the occasional not-so-legal crew that worked under the guise of being a legit exploration team.

Guild missions had to fit within certain criteria. Here? Under-the-table work wasn’t infrequent. Nothing criminal of course, but certainly questionable and morally grey on a good day.

So, as Artemis and Silvally walked into the café, it slipped her mind that the more aggressive teams spent time there—especially near the afternoon, as they would be the ones to work through the night. These were Pokémon that sought their wealth through other avenues than guild work. 

Artemis’s presence wasn’t unusual, and she got the occasional look or greeting from the more polite individuals within the café—respect among explorers as it were. Silvally’s presence brought about a whole other set of issues, ones that Artemis didn’t take into consideration when they walked through the entrance of the brightly lit, comfortable café.

Eyes lit up when Artemis stepped inside, and some waved, while others glanced at her and then returned to their work. Silvally followed behind, and the nearest tables immediately quieted, eyes on the newcomer.

Normally, the music playing in the café was hard to hear over the background noise of teams talking and people moving about. Life tended to have a certain sound to it that overwhelmed others.

But, as Artemis walked through the café, Silvally behind her, the voices and sounds gradually drew quiet. Little nudges and whispers passed around, and all too soon, the music that played from the machine in the corner was the only thing audible.

The change in atmosphere caught Artemis off guard, and she glanced around, finding all those eyes on her and her ward. The negative attention kicked in muscle memory, her head high, her tails flowing proudly, gliding forward without even thinking about it. She just had to hold herself up and let them know they didn’t bother her in the slightest—she was better than what they thought.

A glance over her shoulder told her just how nervous Silvally was. He looked all around the room, eyes flicking from one Pokémon to another. With his fur raised, the feathers on his head spread higher, and his ears twitching at the smallest noise in the room, Silvally looked like he was ready to jump the next person who blinked. 

Artemis stepped up to the counter and shook off the unpleasant feeling that rolled down her spine. Her gaze fell on the Braixen behind the counter, the familiar employee flashing her a practiced smile. A smile that fell briefly when she glanced at Silvally. The flash of teeth returned when she looked around the room, teeth bright as always.

The chatter around the room fell back into place as if it had never left. Artemis could still feel the lingering eyes and hear the hushed whispers, however.

“Good morn- er, afternoon Artemis.” Flare, the ever-pleasant café employee, smiled. “Good news, I’ve heard the dock is fixed! They should be shipping out our supply in a few days.”  

“Good afternoon, Flare,” Artemis replied. “Don’t worry, I’m not here to harass you about coffee this time.” A little smile made its way to the front, and Artemis tilted her head to gesture toward Silvally. “We’re just hoping you can make us some tea with this. I don’t have anything to make it right now.”

A pink glow lit up her Treasure Bag, and the pouch Leafeon gave her drifted through the air, landing on the counter with a dull thump. The Braixen grabbed it, peered inside, and sniffed at the contents.

“Leafeon’s?” Flare asked. Artemis nodded. “We get a lot of requests for this—he’s running a good side business.” She let out a little laugh and leaned forward slightly, her eyes flicking back to Silvally. “Are… you two staying long?”

“Just for the drink,” Artemis replied. She frowned and her tails gave a little swirl. “Is there a problem?” Artemis narrowed her eyes, not missing the subtle looks at Silvally, nor the glances around the room.

“No, nothing with you two.” Flare leaned forward over the counter, lowering her voice, motioning for Artemis to come closer. “I don’t mind the both of you staying here. The others might be a problem.” 

“What do you mean?” Artemis asked. 

Flare let out a soft sigh, and grimaced. “A lot of the teams here tried to go after him. They complained about it whenever they came back beaten or empty-handed. Some folks aren’t happy he’s wandering around town with you—they get loud about it. Most just grumble, but… some talk about ‘handling it themselves’.”

A confusing variety of emotions shot through Artemis:

Anger—did they think she couldn’t do her job? That she was inadequate? They were the ones who lost to Silvally and couldn’t catch him. She could handle the job just fine on her own, thank you.

Concern—how did she not notice? She knew that there were teams that didn’t like Silvally–some civilians too–but the guild Pokémon were restrained and calm. Some even liked him! How did she not think about the groups outside of the guild? What about the other city? 

Defensiveness—they were going to hurt him? For what? He didn’t do anything to them beyond defending himself. She and him were helping out around town with jobs that were needed, some pretty dangerous. They were making everyone’s lives easier. Was she going to have to protect him so that Pokémon didn’t mix up self-defence with assault?

Guilt—she felt the same way at first. Just ignore the law, knock him out, and send him to jail. No risks to the public, it was better that way. She learned though. Silvally wasn’t any risk to the civilians, he was almost comically restrained and quiet compared to his reputation. The exploration teams probably didn’t know. They just needed to read the files and listen to the people around them, like she did.

Then, a little moment of confusion. 

Did she only worry because she felt guilty? Did she really care or was it just because she’d traumatized Silvally beyond any reasonable measure? A burden of responsibility to fix what happened? To keep him safe from people who thought exactly like she had?

None of this showed on the surface, save for a little spasm of her tails.

“I see. Thank you. Don’t worry, we’ll be fine.” Artemis pulled away, resisting the urge to see who was still watching them to narrow down the threats. “We’ll go get seated,” she said.

“Of course! I’ll be right over with your drinks, and whatever is left of this,” Flare held up the little cloth bag, shaking it. “I’ll just be a few minutes.” The Braixen leapt off the platform she stood on, disappearing behind the counter.

“Well, let’s go find a table.” Artemis turned, eyes darting around the room, before settling on Silvally. “There’s a spot near the wall, off to the right.”

Silvally’s ears twitched and he nodded. He didn’t look at her though, his gaze still roaming the room. His talons had gouged clear chunks out of the floor, wood shavings scattered about on the floor. Hesitantly, he stepped forward, leading the way toward the table Artemis pointed out. 

As they made their way between tables and Pokémon, Artemis idly wondered how Silvally felt about her following him. He looked over his shoulder often in dungeons, but didn’t react like he had the first couple days. Did he trust her not to hurt him, or was he just too focused on the job? 

She sure as hell wasn’t going to ask though. That’d be creepy. 

What would even say if she were to ask? ‘Do you feel nervous with your back exposed to me?’ That’s something a serial killer would say. And, also, would probably terrify Silvally beyond measure. He was already jumpy enough. 

Her eyes flicked down as they walked, and another thought came to mind. She really hoped that she and Silvally wouldn’t be fined for damage to public property. The stones in Kecleon Market, the ground in the Guild, and the wooden floor here. His grip strength was impressive, she had to give him that. 

Silvally sat at the table, and Artemis noticed a little bit of a problem. He sat with his back to the wall. It was smart, she’d have done the same thing too—never turn your back on a potential enemy. That, and having her back toward an open room made her beyond uncomfortable. 

The problem wasn’t that he sat like that, or that it was some behaviour thing she’d have to break him out of. Nothing like that–much simpler, actually.  

She wanted that spot. 

She really wanted that spot. Exposing her back to a room full of potential enemies? No, she wasn’t suicidal, thank you very much. That was just inviting someone to come up behind her and stick a poisoned knife through her ribs. And sure, that hadn’t happened yet. But once would be one time too many and she wasn’t going to risk it. 

Artemis hesitantly stepped forward, eyes on Silvally–he was still focused on everyone else in the cafe. She turned, and sat down on the bench at the very corner of the table, managing to get her back to the wall as well. Her tails bunched up awkwardly behind her and spread across the wall. 

Clearly, it was much too close for Silvally, who shifted over, matching Artemis’s position at the other corner of the table. The two glanced at one another, blinked, and turned away, refusing to acknowledge it. They settled for perching awkwardly over the corners, having met a mutual agreement. 

Artemis settled in and adjusted, allowing her tails to fall to the left and drape over the bench. Comfortable, she turned her gaze to the room once again, catching several groups of Pokémon watching them. She narrowed her eyes, and the other Pokémon eventually turned to their teammates. This was going to be annoying. 

She looked back at Silvally, his reaction to the negative attention rather telling. His jaw muscles were clenched, ears alert, and body tense. He trembled with what had to be pure adrenaline, muscles twitchy, ready to respond in an instant. Silvally didn’t look scared, just… intense. 

“Are… are you alright?” Artemis asked quietly. She almost immediately wished she hadn’t. Was that too soon to ask? Was she acting out of character?

He turned toward her and blinked as if he hadn’t expected her to ask. Silvally replied with a slow, hesitant nod, his gaze focused on a spot over her shoulder. He took a breath, and then another, his ears still perked and alert. 

Artemis took a break to let Silvally recenter himself, the twitches of his body slowing. She noticed he did this often—focus on something far off and breathe to keep his emotions or fears in check. It was best to not interrupt him like this. Artemis needed silence to deal with emotions sometimes—usually by breaking the silence with shouting—so she’d give him the same courtesy.

Several minutes passed like that. Just silence between the two, the sound of breathing punctuating the quiet. Other tables of Pokémon would glance at them but seemed to grow bored of glaring. Finally, once the tremors in Silvally’s muscles eased, she spoke up again.  

“… Would you like to leave now? We don’t have to stay.” Again, Artemis regretted her words. She was being weird, she had to be. It had to be stressing him out further. Why was this so difficult? 

Silvally’s eyes shifted back to her, and for a moment seemed to really look at her—look through her. Trying to find something he couldn’t see, or perhaps, understand her change in behaviour. Artemis returned his gaze, silver and red eyes meeting for what had to be the longest five seconds of her life.

Then, they flicked away again, and Silvally nodded. He seemed to pause, and blinked, appearing to change his mind. A talon tapped on the table and he shook his head, remaining rooted to the spot.

It looked like they were staying after all.

Artemis hated this. The careful words, the balancing act, and her actions that led to this whole problem in the first place. This was torture, trying to keep from worrying Silvally while also changing how she acted. An innocent Pokémon was lost and confused and needed her help, and dammit, she was going to try.

Another moment of silence hovered in the air, making the table feel more cramped than it actually was. Or maybe it had to do with them both sitting at the corners of the table. Artemis’s tails steadily thumped and flicked against the bench, while Silvally was content with sitting perfectly still. Neither looked at the other, instead choosing to focus on various things around the room: the tables, the lights, the stairs, the Pokémon. They received far fewer looks than when they’d walked in, but it was impossible to miss the glares or little sneers.

“Do you recognize any of them?” she asked quietly. She could feel the vibrations through the bench as Silvally startled. 

“Twelve,” he replied. 

“Twelve? Teams, or Pokémon?”

“Teams.”

There were only twenty tables in the room—fifteen of them were occupied by various Pokémon. Almost everyone in the cafe had gone after Silvally at some point, confirmed by Flare, and now Silvally. No wonder he was so tense. Her presence wasn’t helping either, she was sure of it.

“Are you…” She sighed, and took a breath, hesitating. “Are you worried they might hurt you?” Artemis asked. She could feel her tails rolling with anxiety, hoping her constant questions weren’t throwing things off.

It was Silvally’s turn to pause. He blinked, and turned his head to regard the room, eyes flickering over everyone and everything present. Silvally’s ears twitched and his body tensed faintly whenever he met another Pokémon’s gaze, but the reactions were minimal. Finally, he turned back to face her, looking over her shoulder to talk to her.

“No,” Silvally stated.

“You don’t think they’d be upset enough to attack you?” Artemis asked. 

Flare wasn’t the kind of Pokémon to spread false rumours. Artemis sometimes relied on her for information; to see if she’d overheard anything before she’d started hunting Silvally. The Braixen was always spot on with her hints or advice. Her help even wound up leading to multiple arrests. 

“Not that.” Silvally raised a talon and grimaced, rubbing at his neck. “They won’t hurt me,” he explained.

“What do you mean?”

“I beat them,” he stated.

They won’t hurt me because I already fought them off. They aren’t a threat–they’ve failed once before. I can beat them again if I have to, and I won’t get hurt doing it. 

The words weren’t there but the sentiment was. Artemis froze, her mind reeling. Not only was this the longest conversation they’d had willingly, but the previously discarded thoughts about Silvally came rushing back.

She’d been so caught up in her guilt and worry over making things worse that she forgot something: Silvally lived in the wilderness and had been on the run for two years. He’d fought off dozens of exploration teams and won every single time. This wasn’t just some helpless Pokémon that couldn’t get by without her. He was a lost and confused Pokémon that could very well fend for himself; he followed the rules set out for him because he had to. Because he chose to cooperate and could make things much worse if he was pushed too far.

Was he a hardened survivalist? A Pokémon in need of saving? Someone who chose to be better than others were to him? Was it all just the most convenient path? What did he think of all the Pokémon around him? What did he think of her?

And despite all these questions, the constant back and forth between ‘innocent Pokémon’ and ‘dangerous enemy’, it came back to one thing. It was all Silvally. Her sudden realization of his innocence didn’t remove the last two years of his life, as trauma-filled as they were. He was still the Pokémon that was capable of fighting her to a standstill and outsmarting her with dirty tricks.

Right now, he just chose not to be. He decided to cooperate and be kind, despite everything he’d been through.

Artemis was so caught up in her thoughts that she completely missed Flare’s approach. The thud of the clay cups on the table startled her, tails flailing about for a moment, knocking a painting on the wall askew. Flare gave a startled gasp and lunged toward the painting, arms outstretched in anticipation. 

Thankfully, nothing fell. 

“Whew… You alright?” Flare asked. She stood on her toes and reached up, the small fox barely able to touch the painting.

“I am. Just distracted is all.” Artemis’s psychic-type abilities flared, and a small stack of coins flew from her bag and landed in a stack on the table. “There. Thank you, Flare.”

“Anytime.” Flare simply flashed the two of them a smile. She scooped up the coins from the table and tucked them into a little pouch at her hip. “If you need anything I’ll be at the counter. Thanks for coming, you two.” She tossed the bag of remaining tea leaves onto the table and returned to the counter, leaving Silvally and Artemis alone.

Artemis looked down at her steaming cup, then glanced up at Silvally, who was busy studying the new material. He wrapped his talons around it as best he could, the smooth surfaces slipping against one another. Artemis looked away before he noticed her.

Instead of worrying about the other Pokémon in the café, she set about having her drink. They weren’t really in a rush, despite the late hour. After all, she’d slept in, and Silvally had allowed her some much-needed rest. Last night she couldn’t stop thinking back to those encounters with Silvally. 

What could she have done differently had she known?

Artemis leaned in and blew frosty breath over her cup, cooling the drink—she didn’t need the extreme temperature to distract her, unlike last night. She caught Silvally looking at the cooled cup before glancing away, sipping at his scalding drink to the best of his abilities. It seemed difficult with that metal upper jaw.

The minutes passed in silence, the atmosphere gradually growing more relaxed as the other Pokémon started to settle back into their normal activities. It was still incredibly awkward, the heavy silence held between them. Silvally avoided meeting her gaze and the eyes of everyone else. Artemis did her best to keep from looking at him—she didn’t want to stress him further.

Pokémon came and went from the café, but nothing out of the ordinary occurred. Some that entered froze and stared at the duo. They continued on their way when they noticed no one else really cared, at least for the time being.

Silvally had already long since drained his cup. His nervousness fell, reduced to his normal tense posture, though his ears remained perked, his eyes darting around at any new sound. A single talon followed along the little grooves of their table, careful to avoid scratching it.

Artemis blinked, realizing something. It made sense, him finishing his drink early. It was probably habitual–finishing meals and drinks fast so competition couldn’t take it from him, or so he could run.

She idly sipped at her drink and took her time, not to keep Silvally here, but because she didn’t want to leave too soon. Rushing might make them look nervous, and if others were thinking of being violent, that wouldn’t do. It was a mind game. She and Silvally had to act like they didn’t care they were outnumbered—they had as much right to be there as anyone else.

It also seemed to be helping Silvally. Occasionally, he would look up to examine the room again, checking for differences, before returning to looking at the paintings on the walls or inspecting the structure of the clay cup. He was just doing whatever he could to avoid looking at Artemis. By now he’d calmed, his ears were more relaxed, and his breathing steady and soft. After such a long period of nothing happening, and the naturally soothing atmosphere, it wasn’t surprising.

“How long were you up before me?” Artemis asked.

Silvally jolted, his talons curling and carving grooves into the tabletop. Artemis bit back a frustrated growl—she forgot she needed to get his attention before trying to talk to him. Treating this casually wouldn’t work. 

“Four hours,” Silvally replied after a moment.

“You… you know you’re allowed to go around the guild without me, right?” Artemis asked. “You don’t have to stay in the room if you don’t want to, or wait for me to get up.”

Silvally blinked at her, confused. He looked genuinely stunned, like he’d been told something completely unexpected. Did he think he was her prisoner or something? That he was confined to her side or the room?

He might, she realized.

“I saw the writing in the dirt. The room at the end of the hall has paper and ink, and some books. There’s easier reading for Pokémon who are from, uh, out of town,” Artemis explained, picking her words carefully. “It might be better than waiting for me and using the floor.”

Again, nothing but silence met her words. The quiet between herself and Silvally felt louder than the Pokémon around them laughing and talking. His gaze flicked up to hers again, staring, searching, analyzing her with those piercing silver eyes.

Then, he looked away again, merely nodding to her words, acknowledging them.

She knew it. She was being weird and acting out of character. What was wrong with her? Why couldn’t she do this right? She was trying-

“Thank you,” Silvally said. The words were soft and smooth, likely a result of the tea. It wasn’t that rough scratchy voice anymore, but something close to normal. There was no wincing, nor growling in frustration.

Artemis made a mental note to start coming back daily. She’d get her wanted, and definitely not needed caffeine, and Silvally wouldn’t hurt when talking. 

Maybe she wasn’t fucking this up after all.

~{O}~{O}~{O}~

Artemis was being weird.

Silvally noticed the small changes the day before. Her ears twitched and swivelled constantly; she glanced at him when she thought he wasn’t looking; her words seemed less sure, and more carefully spoken; she hesitated.

In the months he’d known Artemis as his pursuer, and the small number of days as an ‘ally’ of sorts, one thing she never did was hesitate. She was confident and leapt into action without fear. She chased him with certainty and spoke to him firmly.

Something changed. He didn’t know what it was, but it had to have been when she and Mew left him alone. But what had she read that caused it? What was so important that it threw her off this badly?

It set Silvally’s nerves on end. The change of behaviour was unknown, and that made it dangerous. He wanted to ask, but he didn’t want to ask her. Maybe it was fear of retaliation, or anger, or something else, but asking anything of Artemis was entirely off the table. All he had to do was follow her instructions, and make sure he didn’t break any rules, or cause trouble.

It used to be simple. 

But now she was asking him if he was okay; asked if he wanted to leave the café when he was shaking with adrenaline, ready to defend himself. She was talking to him and picking her words carefully–treating him as if she hadn’t hunted him down a short time ago. 

And nothing bad happened. It was driving him crazy! There should be some reason for the change, and Silvally was certain he’d not done anything to warrant it. He was acting properly, using whatever manners he thought was appropriate, and didn’t try to cause issues.

So why? It didn’t make sense.

Silvally let himself slip from his thoughts, glancing at the nine-tailed fox he was following. To an outside observer, Artemis would be nothing but a streak of white, followed closely by the blur of gray that was himself.

Say what he will about his body and all the horrendous downsides, the benefits that came with it were thrilling. He could use that weird flowing ‘energy’ within himself to perform feats he normally couldn’t: hit harder, run faster, shift the type of energy to make himself lighter, or swim fluidly through the water. It was incredible!

He kept a healthy distance behind Artemis, the duo racing across the open plains, making for their destination with haste. Silvally didn’t mind—it was one of those rare times where he didn’t ache at all, and he strongly suspected it had to do with the tea they’d had. It was probably those magic properties some berries had, like the Oran ones that healed wounds, or the light blue ones for burns.

… He’d have to keep an eye out for those if he was stuck with Artemis for a while. Keeping a few extras in his bag wouldn’t hurt.

Honestly, Silvally felt like he could go faster, even when he’d pushed as much ‘energy’ into his running speed as he could. But how he ran improved. Longer strides he couldn’t normally make; smooth movements that were usually hindered by pain. He knew Artemis was holding back for his benefit as well—she was fast, and he’d never been able to outrun her no matter how hard he’d tried. It was why he eventually stopped running when he ran into her. There was no point.

Now though, if he ignored the huntress ahead of him, the run through the wilderness was exhilarating and freeing. Without the normal pain and horrific stabbing feeling in his joints, it was exciting! It felt like he could go anywhere—not literally though. If he strayed Artemis would be on him in an instant.

With all that nervous, pent-up energy from Kecleon Market, and then the rather tense situation in Spinda’s Café, Silvally needed this exercise. The chance to bleed off all that energy and stretch his legs was very welcome. He could feel the stress and anxiety melting away with every stride, leaving him in a clear headspace.

Unfortunately, their destination loomed in the distance, and Silvally realized where they had to go. It hadn’t been long since he’d last been to this particular forest, and that time had been rather… rough. But he would be fine this time. He wasn’t being chased; he wasn’t on the run. They were just there to do a job.

A job that had been thrust upon them when Chatot ambushed them at the mission boards. He’d hopped up to Artemis—ignored Silvally entirely—and insisted that they “take the mission, it’s of the utmost importance” and that they complete it quickly. Then the bird left, no explanation, and still not a glance toward Silvally. 

It did solve the dilemma of choosing a task for the day.

The job was simple, or so it appeared—rescue a Pokémon that had gotten lost in the woods. They both had an Escape Orb from previous missions and were ready to rescue the missing Pokémon.

But as the trees grew closer, Artemis started to slow down. Her strides shortened, and the shimmering purple haze about her legs faded from sight. Silvally followed her lead, gradually slowing down from the high-speed sprint down to a flat-out run, to a jog, and then a walk.

Artemis and Silvally were both breathing and panting hard. The run from Treasure Town to the outskirts of Treeshroud Forest was rather taxing. A normal run to the forest without Agility would have taken over two hours. They managed the trip in less than a quarter of that.

Artemis sat down in the grass with a loud huff, clenching and curling her paws to get the feeling back into them. Steam rolled off her body in heavy wisps, and every breath shot out a hot cloud of vapour. Silvally followed her lead, clenching and relaxing his talons, and shaking out his legs.

“Hah… Thought we’d be faster. That’s exhausting,” Artemis breathed. She turned to look at Silvally, her eyes scanning over him. “You good?” she asked between panting breaths.

Silvally shrugged, breathing through an open mouth. His muscles ached and burned in a good way, that feeling of freedom setting his nerves at ease. He was so relaxed from exerting himself—or too tired to react—that Silvally didn’t flinch when Artemis looked at him, or when she spoke. Instead of that thrill of fear, all he felt was that pleasant rush and warmth after pushing himself.

“If you’re okay we’ll rest for a minute. We don’t wanna go in tired.” Artemis got to all fours and began to pace, her tails swishing over the grass. “Not that it's that dangerous,” she tacked on, tossing her head to the forest line.

Silvally had to agree. Other than the long-range psychic attacks, the Pokémon within the dungeon were mildly difficult at best. Sure, they were pretty strong compared to his early days, but now that he knew how to fight, there was little here that threatened him.

“I know I probably should have asked sooner, but are you going to be okay in there?” Artemis asked, turning from her pacing to look at him. “The last time we were in there wasn’t, well, great.”

Silvally blinked and cocked his head. His eyes flicked up, watching Artemis’s ears twitch about, and her tails give a little swirl. There it was again. She was acting different and she knew it too—those little reactions gave it away.

“… I’ll be fine,” Silvally finally replied. Silvally’s confusion grew as Artemis breathed a sigh, almost relieved.

“Alright.” Artemis huffed and shook out her legs again. She flexed her paws, flared out her tails, and took a breath, looking far more alert and recovered. “You ready?”

Silvally nodded, talons and paws gliding through the lush grass as he fell into his normal spot to the side—and out of reach—of Artemis. It didn’t matter if he was properly recovered or feeling a little apprehension about coming back to this place. The job was important, and there was someone that needed help. 

That’s what mattered.

Artemis and Silvally stepped forward, the cool shade of the trees falling over them. They made their way through the sparse forest, starting to see signs of wild Pokémon: claw marks on trees; berry bushes stripped bare; and little tufts of fur snagged on thorns.

Silvally looked ahead, through the trees, and spotted the entrance to the dungeon: a shimmering translucent barrier spanning between two tall, dark trees. The forest to either side looked dull and twisted–it would lead into the dungeon eventually if they chose to go around. Using the entrance and exit was the better choice, however.

If a Pokémon were to skip the entrance and try to go around, they’d find themselves in a random portion of the dungeon. There was no way to tell which direction was forward and what was backward. At least when going through the main ‘entrance’ to the dungeon they’d have a defined start and finish to avoid getting lost.

Silvally stepped forward, the world rippling and shifting like fluid around him. Disoriented and dizzy, he continued nonetheless, straight into the dungeon. Finally, the world solidified around him, displaying a much brighter, if more enclosed forest. Sunbeams filtered in through the leaves overhead, the light tinged a shifting kaleidoscope of colours due to the ever-changing nature of the dungeon. The grass was lush, the trees healthy, and the air fresh as could be. It felt like home.

Artemis came in after him, her eyes darting around the immediate area, likely checking for threats. There was nothing nearby, however. Just a calm, empty clearing—he’d already checked. 

Silvally stepped forward to give her more room, and they fell into their familiar positions. Artemis covered their rear while Silvally forged ahead. He was the more physical fighter, it only made sense. Artemis could help at a distance. 

The fact that she was behind him set his nerves on end. But, she had yet to attack him and was surprisingly careful with how she aimed and angled her attacks. He pushed the concern from his mind and focused on the task at hand. His eyes swept through the trees and ahead on their current path. 

The wavy, wandering passages of the forest always meant blind corners were risky. Silvally was used to them though. He used all his senses to spot even the slightest hint that something might be nearby. A patch of fur, an off scent, a shift in the wind, maybe even soft breathing. 

They seemed to be alone for the moment.  

“Right, so, we’re looking for a Grimer,” Artemis explained. “Do you know what they look like?”

Silvally shook his head. He knew what a lot of Pokémon looked like, but had no names to apply to them. Odds were high that he’d encountered one before, but nothing came to mind with just the word “Grimer.” 

“They’re kind of like a big living pile of sludge,” Artemis explained with a grimace. “Some of them are green and a little more tolerable. The ones that live here are usually purple and smell awful. And they’re poisonous. They’re great.” Her deadpan voice didn’t convince Silvally. 

His mind snapped to an interaction he’d had over a year ago. He’d encountered something foul-smelling that tried to consume him by spreading over his body. There’d been some fur lost that day, and it took a week to scrape that awful scent off of himself. He’d quite literally bled trying to get rid of that horrific smell. 

A full-body shudder rolled over him, his hackles rising. He knew exactly what Artemis was referring to. Silvally turned to look over his shoulder and grimaced, his eyes closed and teeth bared.

Artemis laughed and nodded in sympathy. “So, you know what I’m talking about, then. Keep an eye out for a trail of dead grass, weird goo, or something that smells like it died… Several times.”

Silvally nodded, and huffed through his nose. He was very much not looking forward to this. It wasn’t the Pokémon’s fault for how it naturally was, he just really didn’t want to relive that horrendous smell. He’d still do it though. It was the job they had to do, and someone needed help, so he’d do his best.

The two continued through the woods, alert, searching for both ferals and any sign of the missing Pokémon. It was oddly silent though. They explored every inch of each ‘floor’ they went through, finding no wild Pokémon, and no sign of the Grimer.

Each branching path had absolutely nothing to show for it. There weren’t even any items scattered around on the ground. There was nothing at all. The only sign that they were even still inside the Mystery Dungeon was the heavy darkness outside of the designated paths, and the weird shimmering light that poured in through the leaves.

Where were all the Pokémon?

“Something’s wrong,” Artemis murmured. Silvally nodded.

Something was very wrong. No Pokémon, no items, no sound save for the gentle shift of the leaves in the breeze and the grass underfoot. If there was nothing weird happening inside a Mystery Dungeon, then something was very strange about it. Oddities were normal. This? None of this was right.

Silvally’s heart rate rose, his body alert, watching for anything even slightly unique. He and Artemis picked up their pace, going from a quick walk to a steady jog, their ears perked as they searched.

As they went through, section after section, each chunk of the forest was the same. The same emptiness, over and over again. Something was going on. Where were the Pokémon? Where was Grimer?

Nothing but oppressive silence and emptiness met their questions. Each step, each word, every breath was countered with absolutely nothing. An oppressive silence void of the sounds of nature hovered around them like a thick fog. 

The only time Silvally had seen anything like this was when an absurdly powerful Pokémon decided to make a safe haven for weaker Pokémon its new home. The weak Pokémon had run from the tall shark-like creature, giving up their home in exchange for their lives. 

This felt eerily similar. Had something strong decided to clear out the dungeon and take over? If it had, that Pokémon would have to be incredibly powerful to drive out everything here. Normal Pokémon avoided this place due to the risks the ferals possessed. If something were dangerous enough to force them out…

“Look!” Artemis hissed. 

Silvally jumped, his eyes snapping to the left where Artemis gestured. 

There, off to the side of the clearing, was a Cherrim. It was dancing along what looked to be a horrendously burned and decayed trail of grass. The flower-like Pokémon was in full bloom, walking along, cleaning up the dead grass one step at a time. That was likely why they couldn’t find the trail and were having difficulty. 

It didn’t explain the lack of Pokémon or items, however. Something else was going on. 

“Let’s go!” Artemis darted forward and leapt over the small grass Pokémon, who squeaked in terror. Silvally followed after her, running forward and clearing the Cherrim, bounding after Artemis.

The trail of dead and sickly grass led in a wandering path across the dungeon floor, angling sharply out of the way, before returning to whatever path it had been following. Everything seemed fine, nothing was out of the ordinary. 

Until they passed through the threshold into the next section of Treeshroud Forest. Nothing could have prepared Silvally or Artemis for the assault to come. It was instant. 

Silvally staggered, reeling back as if he’d been punched, eyes watering and talons curling. He whipped his head side to side, trying to rid himself of the sensation to no avail. 

Artemis tripped over her paws and staggered, unbalanced. Her eyes clenched and she immediately hunched over, a disgusting gagging noise escaping her. All nine of her tails spasmed with every open-mouthed heave. 

The smell was overwhelming. A horrendous, sickly, rotting scent that seeped into the nose, tickled behind the eyes, and made itself very welcome to anything that could detect it. It was terrible, horrific, disgusting, and any other word that could be used to describe something “really fucking bad.”

“Oh, fuck!” Artemis wheezed. Silvally had to agree–it felt like he had dozens of insects crawling around his sinuses. 

It took about twenty seconds for Silvally to recover from the terrible smell—going from clean forest air to that was awful. It also helped confirm that every section of the dungeon was airtight. With watery eyes he turned his attention to Artemis, who seemed to be-

Silvally had to look away, grimacing as Artemis heaved once again, her body spasming with the motion. A sickly retching noise forced itself from the fox, followed by strained, wet panting. 

“Fuck this…” Artemis wheezed. She managed to stand upright again, bringing a paw up to wipe the spit from her lips. “Chatot’s getting his ass beat.” 

Silvally, against his better judgement—and compelled by the job they had to do—followed Artemis’s lead. They turned into the wind to follow both the trail of dead plants and that wretched smell. Each step felt like a battle of wills, and every little bit of progress caused the scent to grow stronger. Silvally was so distracted by the ongoing struggle that he didn’t realize he was following much closer to Artemis than intended, almost running into her tails several times. 

Rounding a corner, Artemis and Silvally stepped into a clearing. They both staggered to a halt—that fear-inducing scent sucker-punched their sinuses once more. It took effort to keep his composure, and Artemis managed to as well. Barely. 

Thankfully, they found the Pokémon they were sent to rescue, so that was debatably positive. Silvally’s eyes settled on the Grimer, looking over that small moving pile of goop. It was about as Artemis described, and he remembered. 

Awful.

A glance to the right revealed something else. They’d found where all the Pokémon went: away. Upwind. Deeper into the dungeon to avoid the horrendous smell, and Silvally wished he could follow their lead. There had to be at least fifteen Pokémon all retreating from the small creature. Various Ninetales, Houndoom, Kirlia, and even a Kadabra watched the Grimer from just outside of the clearing, doing their best to avoid detection.

Clearly, they wanted nothing to do with the Grimer either.

“Oh, shiny!” the baby Grimer exclaimed, and slid its way forward to a stack of coins strewn about on the ground. The tiny Pokémon oozed over the coins, which vanished into its body, likely to never be seen again.

Of course, as an Explorer of high renown, Artemis needed to remain professional. So, she took a breath—and gagged—before stepping forward, followed shortly by Silvally.

“Hey, are you okay?” Artemis asked—her voice had a very strangled sound to it. “Are you lost? Your dad is looking for you.”

The tiny Pokémon whirled around, its eyes lighting up with wonder and glee. It let out a gasp and surged forward, its tiny arms outstretched. “Pretty fox!”

Oh no.

It was a hugger.

The strangled sound Artemis made when the pile of sludge slopped itself onto her foreleg was… certainly something. Silvally had never heard that string of noises before. It was definitely unique, that was for sure. 

The horrified, disgusted, pleading expression on Artemis’s face as she slowly turned to face him was also a first. He wasn’t sure what it was about that particular combination that caused him to smile. 

Or maybe it was the full body heave Artemis tried to hold back as the Grimer settled in and hugged her foreleg tighter. It had to thank its saviour after all. 

Oh, the joys of being a famous explorer. Silvally didn’t envy her. 

Shortly after posting the chapter I was given some amazing fan art by Vetu Asaber of this moment. Thanks again for the wonderful art <3

Retroactively going back to add art from the future.

Silvally & Artemis in the Cafe by HootHoot

Chapter Text

Due to Artemis’s rather sticky situation, she wasn’t able—or willing—to get the Escape Orb from her bag. She seemed almost locked in place, stunned by the unpleasant hug. Silvally grabbed his Escape Orb, stepped closer to the duo, and shattered it in his grip. He was very thankful that it worked a short distance from other Pokémon.

The Grimer was eyeing him up too.

Reality shifted and twisted and warped, the random, ever-changing nature of the Mystery Dungeon brought to heel under the power of the Orb. Everything seemed to grow fuzzy, blurring out of focus, and then…

They were out. The sharp quality of the world snapped back into focus. The outskirts of Treeshroud Forest stood before them once more, the sparse trees providing a scant amount of shade from the warm afternoon sun. The sounds around them were clear, not twisted by the Dungeon—leaves fluttered and shifted, and Pokémon calls could be heard in the distance.

Artemis and Silvally both took deep, greedy breaths, trying to purge that horrific smell. It wasn’t working. It seemed to cling to the inside of the nose and stubbornly refused to do anything other than make each breath a chore. Still, it was far better than the Dungeon—the scent didn’t have anywhere to get trapped.

Silvally took several steps back, attempting to distance himself from the nightmare-inducing creature that was still suctioned to Artemis. It somehow managed to hug her even closer, the living sludge nestling against her middle.

Artemis’s tails spasmed so hard that bark on the tree beside her came flying off. The fur on her forelegs was plastered down, coated in a thick, slimy helping of the baby Grimer’s mass. After several long, agonizing seconds, the Grimer started to pull away.

Silvally couldn’t watch.

Those thick, disgusting strings of sludge connected Artemis to the small creature as it backed up. It held her fur in thick clumps, and plastered itself to her underside and legs, leaving thick webs of purple goop on the poor fox. They stretched out further and further as the small Pokémon pulled itself away, until they snapped, just swinging back down to splatter into Artemis’s fur again.

Artemis doubled over, eyes clenched, and snapped her mouth shut. A muscle spasm worked over the fox, and her cheeks ballooned outward briefly. Her paws curled, claws sinking into the ground, and her ears folded back, flat against her skull.

“Thank you, pretty fox!” the Grimer cheered. It was definitely on the younger side, and couldn’t have been more than a few years old. Its small stature, high voice, and happy demeanour all pointed to a lost child.

Artemis, still hunched over, faced the child. With her eyes closed and mouth held shut, she slowly nodded several times. That seemed to satisfy the child, who whirled around to face Silvally, its whole expression growing cheerful again, arms outstretched.

Oh no.

Silvally looked away from the charging Grimer and toward Artemis. The fox gave a strained swallow and let out a horrific wheeze, her whole body shuddering. She slowly turned to Silvally, her face locked into an expression that just screamed “Save yourself!”

That, or “Kill me please!” It was quite hard to tell.

The little Grimer was seconds away now, and Silvally really didn’t want to wind up like Artemis. He sprang away from the child and landed on all fours. His claws and talons sank into the ground, giving him traction, ready to leap away again.

The baby Pokémon slid to a stop and seemed confused. It turned to Silvally again and started to come closer, slower this time, a curious little burble escaping the living sludge. It oozed its way through the grass, little arms out, reaching toward Silvally.

As he watched the Pokémon approach, the grass sizzling and melting away behind it, Silvally knew for certain he didn’t want to touch the creature. However, when he took another step back, the Pokémon slowed further, and its expression fell. Now it seemed hesitant, the little Grimer wandering just a little closer.

It was still just a child.

Artemis was too busy to help him out. She scraped her forelegs against trees, rocks, and grass, doing her best to smear the disgusting goop away. Unfortunately, it seemed to be slathering further into her fur. Frustrated, she sprawled out on the grass and wriggled around, flailing a little, trying to de-slime herself. However, when she stood up, the only change was the purple goo spread more thinly over her underbelly and up her sides, complete with grass and leaves clinging to her.

Silvally heard the desperate little growling whine that slipped from the fox. She needed to clean herself off, he didn’t want to suffer the same fate, and the child needed to be comforted.

Thinking quickly, Silvally crouched down, and then bounded to the side, staying just out of reach of the Grimer. He lowered himself down toward the grass and crept his way closer, almost within touching distance.

“Over here,” Silvally said, encouraging the child closer.

Confused, it started to ooze its way forward, hopeful. Its arms reached out once again, coming closer to Silvally. With a push he sprang over the baby Grimer, the horrific smell assaulting him and making his eyes water. Despite that, he managed to land gracefully on the other side. A quick whirl had him facing the child, and he dropped into another crouch, just out of reach again.

“Over here,” Silvally goaded, his tone a little lighter.

Immediately, the child’s…face? Goo? Sludge lit up in a beaming smile, and it surged forward again, arms outstretched, chasing after Silvally. He replied with a soft growl, trying to keep it lighter, indicating play, not a threat. It seemed to work, and the Grimer giggled with excitement, moving faster.

Silvally bounded back and away again, just far enough to encourage the child to chase him. He took a step back, then another, and just before Grimer could reach him, he jumped over it, landing on the other side.

There was something odd about watching a pair of eyes emerge on the other side of the goo, and a mouth form beneath it. It didn’t have to turn around, it just simply faced the other way. Silvally held back the instinctive urge to wince—he was definitely not one to comment on what a Pokémon looked like. 

Silvally kept himself angled toward Artemis as he hopped back and forth, side to side, letting the small Grimer chase after him. He wasn’t sure if it’d be insulted by watching its rescuer desperately trying to scrape the remnants of its hug off her body.

Not that it seemed to be working at all. If anything, Artemis seemed to just smear the gunk deeper into her fur. Her underbelly was just plastered against her now, and her front paws were covered in it.

Thankfully, the baby Grimer didn’t hear the muffled wail of despair Artemis let out. The child also missed the twin streams of fire shooting from her nose to burn away the smell. No, the child was far too engrossed in playing a very one-sided game of tag with Silvally. And, other than the impending threat of being hugged, Silvally was enjoying it as well. His smile grew further with every giggle and laugh that escaped the child.

Silvally lost sight of Artemis after a minute of play, keeping the child distracted. Not that the little Grimer had any interest in going after the boring fox when there was a very excitable and playful Pokémon in front of him. The child seemed intent on catching Silvally and refused to quit.

It took a few minutes of hard… Gooping? Sliding? Sludging? Movement, to make the child start to slow down. Its mass inflated and deflated with each ‘breath’ it took. Though, once again, how that worked was a mystery. The Pokémon didn’t even seem to have organs beyond eyes—not if the way it slid itself around Artemis’s legs said anything, at least.

Another minute of play was all the Grimer could handle. It kind of just… sagged to the ground and slowly spread out, its eyes floating to the middle of its body to look upward. The grass sizzled and smoked around it, but the child didn’t even seem to care. Or maybe it was used to it.

Or maybe it enjoyed causing torment to nature. Children were hard to understand—living goo was harder.  

Silvally stepped forward, cautious, in case it was some ploy to finally catch him. When nothing happened, he crept a little closer, legs tense, ready to spring away in an instant. Other than a half-hearted little wave of a goopy-looking arm toward his general direction, the Grimer remained nothing more than a puddle on the ground.

“Are you okay?” Silvally asked. He breathed through his mouth—he could taste the smell, there was no hope—and loomed over the small Pokémon, blocking out the sun.

The Grimer gave an exhausted “mhm” and blinked up at him, one eye closing slower than the other. An arm formed from the goopy mass and reached up toward him, before falling back into the slime with a wet plop.  

Satisfied, Silvally backed away and sat down. After a moment of thought he pulled an Oran berry from his bag. A gentle toss sent the berry in a lazy arc, the large berry bouncing off the ground. It rolled forward through the grass, coming to a stop just at the edge of the Grimer’s sludge. The way the child slowly shifted its eyes to the berry was uncomfortably similar to how it looked at him earlier.

He didn’t like that. Not at all.

The child oozed its way to the berry, and just… slid over it. The lump of Oran just seemed to melt away under the Pokémon’s mass. Almost immediately the Grimer sprang upward, its body bouncing up and down from the sudden movement like a jittery flan.

Silvally couldn’t help but smile at the sight of the beaming child.

Unfortunately, the moment wouldn’t be able to last. Familiar footsteps caught his attention, and Silvally turned his back to the Grimer, facing the fox. He was expecting many things, like a somehow miraculously clean Artemis, or maybe a little success on the cleaning front. He wasn’t expecting… that.

“Don’t ask,” Artemis bit out. “Let’s just… Let’s just go. Please.”

Somehow, she looked even worse than before. Flecks of purple were in her tails now, the fluff on one of her cheeks was slicked straight back against her face, and, worst of all, was the fur on her head. It spiked upward, caked with purple gunk, in a straight ridge of fur all the way back, from her forehead to the base of her neck.

It was actually quite impressive.

Silvally blinked once, twice, and paused. He opened his mouth, then snapped it closed again. A talon raised, one of those fingers lifted, and then he stopped again. Questioning an angry fox was a bad idea.

But… His curiosity was too great, and his mood after playing and exerting himself was too relaxed. He needed to know.

“How?” Silvally asked.

Artemis’s eye twitched, and her tails gave an aggravated whirl behind her. Without a word, she raised one of her forelegs and splayed out her paw. That horrible gunk continued to ooze and cling to her, stringing between her toes.

Silvally’s gaze shifted to the left, over her shoulder. Behind her was an absolute warzone between herself and the sludge. Purple was smeared across the trees, on rocks, and on the ground. Several fires burned across the grass and some trees, while patches of ice lay scattered across the ground.

Clearly, she’d lost that fight.

“Pretty fox!” Grimer popped up beside the duo.

Artemis sprang away in a manner that reminded Silvally of startled cat Pokémon. Legs splayed out in all directions, back arched, tails poofed to the limit. She landed and cleared her throat, immediately trying to restore her graceful image.

The mohawk, purple fur, and extremely fluffy tails didn’t quite help.

“Are you gonna take me home?” the Grimer asked. It slid forward excitedly, its form wobbling about.

Artemis stepped forward and leaned closer to the child, flashing it a smile. “We are! Your dad is waiting at the guild for you.” She took a couple steps back, and turned, pointing her nose in the direction of Treasure Town. “It’s going to be a long walk. Are you going to be okay?”

“Yep! I don’t have feet, so I won’t get tired!” the Grimer cheered. It demonstrated this by lifting its goopy form. Well, it tried to. It struggled to show off the blatant lack of feet, with its sludge just pouring in to fill the mass that was removed. Silvally was sure the child fell over at least twice in the attempt, but there wasn’t any way to tell. “See?”

They didn’t see, for there was nothing to see.

“I see... That’s pretty cool,” Artemis said. Her eyes flicked to Silvally, and she subtly shook her head. “Ready to go?”

“Yup!”

Silvally took several measured steps back, placing himself behind the Grimer to keep an eye on things, and allowed Artemis to take point. The fire-ice fox glanced behind herself and couldn’t help wincing, which went completely unnoticed by the baby Grimer—it was having the time of its life.

“We’re on a adventure,” the Grimer giggled.

“We are, just remember to stay with us, okay?” Artemis fixed the child with a look.

“Kay!”

And thus, they set off. The three Pokémon started their way across the open plains that lead toward  Treasure Town. It would unfortunately be quite a long walk. Something that would take hours, even if they didn’t stop. The Grimer was just a little too young to keep up with anything other than a meander forward, so they had to settle for a slower pace.

At least there was a breeze—it kept the smell to a minimum. The sun was warm, insects and birds flitted around, and it was altogether a rather pleasant time of the day.

So, they walked. And they strolled. And wandered, and stepped, and sauntered, and marched, and treaded. They padded forward, they shuffled, and they ambled. The three waddled, and moseyed, and trudged their way through the tall grass. One could describe Artemis’s graceful movements as a sashay of sorts, while Grimer oozed along, and Silvally plodded along behind them. Their group shambled and toddled along, Treasure Town still hours away. They paraded their way through the grasslands, keeping pace with the child that sloshed its way along the open plains.

“My feet hurt!”

They stopped.

It had been ten minutes.

“I thought you didn’t have feet?” Artemis asked.

“What feet?” Silvally asked at the same time.

Artemis turned around and tilted her head, gazing at the child. Silvally watched the little Grimer as well. The young Pokémon, meanwhile, glanced down at its… mass, and then turned its attention to Silvally. When there was nothing said by the fun and playful one of the pair, it turned to Artemis.

Still nothing.

…

“My feet hurt!” Grimer whined again.

Artemis huffed a sigh through her nose and nodded. “Alright, we’ll take a short break and then keep going, okay?” She sat herself down rather forcefully and took a breath. Her gaze flicked down to her gooped fur, and she winced, turning her attention elsewhere.

Silvally did the same, taking a few steps away and watching another direction. He would keep watch while the kid recovered. Once they were going, he was going to see if he could entice the child to chase after him again. He knew it could go faster if it wanted to.

“Can… Can you carry me?”

…

“Pleeeaaassee?”

How living sludge managed to give them eyes as wide and soulful as it did would forever go down in the history books as one of the greatest mysteries to never be solved.

“Yeah, alright,” Artemis huffed. Instead of approaching the little Pokémon, she merely turned to face it. A small pink platform bloomed into existence, flattening the grass beneath. “Hop on.”

It was the Grimer’s turn to look apprehensive. It slid forward and looked at the pink sheet, before curling in on itself and quickly backing away. Grimer shook its head and retreated further, nearly colliding with Silvally.

“Dad said stay away from glowy things. Said they hurt,” the Grimer explained, shaking its ‘head’. The movement just made the creature jiggle and ripple again, bouncing around like the boneless sludge it was.

“Oh, right, silly me.” Artemis flashed the Pokémon a smile, though her tails thrashed against the ground hard enough to feel through the dirt. “Um…” Her eyes flicked to Silvally, and then back to the Grimer. “Sure thing! We just need to figure out how to do that, ‘kay?”

“Okay!” Grimer perked up again, a big goopy smile on its face.

The smile on Artemis’s face dropped once she was turned away from the Grimer. Silvally angled to meet her, measured steps carrying him toward a spot a short distance from the topic of conversation. The duo met up, angled away from the little Pokémon, a little closer than they normally stood with one another.

“Shit,” Artemis huffed. Silvally had to agree. “Okay, what’s the plan?” She glanced at Silvally, blinked, and nodded. “Right, sorry. Okay, so, Grimer won’t get on the psychic platform.”

Silvally nodded.

“And we can’t just put them in one of our bags. It’ll ruin everything in there.”

Silvally nodded.

“I keep my bag full of supplies. Do you have enough room for it all?”

Silvally shook his head.

“Alright. Do you have any rope? We could make a sled from a tree, or with ice.”

Silvally shook his head again.

“Crap. Can you do that type-shifting thing and make vines?”

And again.

“Fuck… One of us is going to have to carry Grimer then, aren’t we?”

Silvally nodded.

“Right. Right, of course. Okay. This is fine. Definitely, totally, completely fine.”

The way Artemis’s ears folded back and her tails dropped told him that it was decidedly not fine. She had to have a thing about her fur and being clean. There was that mud trap that had dirtied her, and she’d been miserable all day. She was always careful about avoiding puddles and water when they were out. And now, with her reaction to getting Grimer goop in her fur… Well, it wasn’t hard to make the connection.

Silvally clenched his jaw, an unpleasant resignation settling within him.

Artemis had been patient and kind today. She was acting out of character and it almost seemed to be actively trying to be nice. It was so weird, so not-Artemis, that Silvally occasionally thought that someone else took her place while he slept. The idea wasn’t impossible either, considering the strange Pokémon he’d seen out in the wild. But he found it unlikely that this wasn’t Artemis. She was just too… herself. He didn’t think it possible to copy her Artemis-ness. She was just, apparently, trying to be nice.

He might as well return the favour and put a little more positivity between himself and Artemis’s anger. In whatever weird, uncomfortable, unpleasant manner this would end up being. Already he was regretting the decision, and he hadn’t even voiced it. But as a show of good faith, he was going to try.

Nothing was going to change unless he was willing to try.

“I’ll do it,” Silvally and Artemis said at the same time. They both blinked twice and tilted their heads in the same direction. Silvally’s gaze flicked away, breaking the mirrored motions.

“What?” Artemis asked. One of her ears tilted to the side, and three of her tails gave a hesitant quiver.

“I’ll do it.” He grimaced as he said this, resigning himself to his fate.

“Oh, thank Arceus.” Artemis let out a relieved sigh, and her mood visibly improved. Her tails flowed happily, her ears perked up, and she stood taller, more relaxed. Then, she paused. She blinked, and tilted her head, her excitement dying almost as quickly as it came. “Are… are you sure? You don’t like being touched, and my fur is already ruined. It’s really not a big deal…” Despite her words, her body didn’t mirror the same sentiment. Artemis winced, and her tails fell. She probably didn’t realize just how expressive she was with her body language.

“I’m sure.” Silvally nodded. This is what he was trying to do anyway, right? Not aggravate her, follow the rules, and return the kindness that was shown to him. It made sense logically. That he hated being touched; the idea of that Grimer sitting on his back where he couldn’t properly reach… It didn’t matter, even though it made his skin crawl.

This was a child that needed to go home—he could put up with a little discomfort. It’s not as if he was being forced to do it.

Silvally turned with Artemis, the two stepping closer to the Grimer, who, it turned out, could run just fine. Hissing trails of slime and dead grass looped around a nearby rock, and the child was laughing to itself the whole time, working on spreading the circle of death with each pass.

What a lovely child. And he’d offered to carry it.

Fun.

The walk back to the child felt like he was approaching his doom. His horrible, sticky, smelly doom.

Grimer lit up when it saw Artemis and Silvally approaching, ending its torture of the landscape. It sloshed and wobbled its way forward, far faster than the pace it had set during their walk.

Silvally eyed the sizzling grass and winced. This was going to suck.

Careful maneuvering of his talons and a toss of his head freed his Treasure Bag, allowing it to hit the ground with a thud. Silvally glanced at Artemis, and then at the child, before slowly, hesitantly, lowering himself to the ground. The grass against his middle was somewhat soothing, and the familiar feel of dirt in his talons helped.

“Okay, we figured it out,” Artemis said, stepping forward to meet the little Grimer—and placing herself between it and Silvally. It slowed its charge, and slid to a halt, looking between the duo. “He’s going to carry you, but you need to go slow, and you can’t move around too much. Okay?”

“’Kay!” The Grimer ignored Artemis entirely and oozed forward at a terrifying rate of speed.

Silvally braced himself. Hopefully, this wouldn’t be like last time when one was actively trying to eat him. Artemis seemed… fine. So, it stood to reason he would be too. It would just take a lot of baths in the river, and scrape himself raw on trees to remove everything. He took a breath, preparing himself for the contact.

It was for the lost kid. He was going to take it home. He was going to help. It was the right thing to do.

He was expecting something more solid than gooey. But instead, what hit him felt like a living pile of snot. It sank into his fur and oozed its way across his skin, the sickeningly warm goop spreading its way across his back, growing heavier with each moment. It snaked its way up his body, crawling along his spine, and spread out further.

Silvally did his absolute best to remain still, though he couldn’t help the little jolt forward and the barely restrained gag. His stomach was doing its best to simultaneously keep everything clamped down, and expel it fast enough to make a Rapidash jealous.

“I know,” Artemis whispered, standing in front of him. She grimaced in what Silvally hoped was sympathy, and not because it felt like that disgustingly warm goo was oozing its way down his sides.  

“’Kay! I’m ready!” the Grimer exclaimed. It gave an excited little wiggle on top of Silvally, sinking into his fur, and really making sure it was settled into place. 

That single motion was almost enough to make him break right then and there.

Silvally wasn’t ready for this trip. Not at all.

~{O}~{O}~{O}~

It turned out Grimer was a talker when they got going. It didn’t seem to grasp the concept that, when Pokémon were sprinting across the landscape and breathing heavily, they didn’t really have the air to waste on idle conversation. That didn’t seem to stop the child though, who kept babbling on and on about various adventures and trips its dad went on, all the places and Pokémon they’d met. That, and whatever else seemed to catch its attention for more than two seconds.

Like that bird.

And that funny rock.

Oh, and that cloud that looked just like his dad, hat and all.

Grimer was just like any other excitable child—this one just had the consistency of a thick sneeze and loved physical contact. Clearly, this was a creation pulled straight from Artemis’s worst nightmares.

By the time they’d reached the guild, Artemis and Silvally were just tired and miserable. She was pretty sure the Grimer had poisoned them, but it was impossible to tell when they just felt sick and gross already. Her fur was a mess, her nose simply hurt, and all dignity she’d had was lost as soon as she stepped into the guild.

The stunned looks and the laughter they were met with didn’t help Artemis’s mood. However, when the smell of Grimer washed over the amused Pokémon, her attitude improved.

Slightly.

Several Pokémon immediately keeled over and gagged, while others turned tail and booked it into the open air, or dove out a window.

She’d caused her fair share of Pokémon to go through windows before. This was the first time she didn’t have to touch- Wait, no, there was that one with Psychic. Aaanndd that other one when she grinned a little too wide and the poor criminal damn near pissed itself. This was the first time she didn’t even need to scare a Pokémon to leap out of a window, however. She could start a new tally with that specification now.

The walk to Wigglytuff’s office was met with horrified stares and a very clear and empty path straight down, which was appreciated. Artemis didn’t need anyone else seeing her like this. She had appearances to keep, dammit.

Silvally wasn’t faring much better. She’d noticed that he was closer to her now and hadn’t even realized he was within touching distance of her tails. The poor guy looked downright miserable. His eyes were half-shut, his ears had fallen flat, and his crest and tail were pretty droopy. Then there was his fur… Oh Arceus, his fur. It was caked down, almost his entire back covered in the Grimer slime because it wouldn’t stop moving. It dripped down his sides, coated his belly, and oozed down his legs. It looked like some even managed to get onto his head feathers, his cheek, and his tail.  

Artemis knew she wouldn’t have been able to stand that for a second, let alone almost an hour. It was damn impressive.

As they walked down the stairs the familiar, annoying chuckle of Toxicroak met her ears. Artemis shot him a scathing look, to which he only raised his hands and closed his mouth, still laughing quietly. Of course, it had to be Toxicroak. He was going to torment her about this every time they talked, she knew it.  

A huff of steamy breath escaped her nose, and she turned her attention to the Guildmaster’s door. The psychic energy that coated the doors was punctuated with a sharp growl, and she shoved them open, frustration coming to the forefront.

Silvally must be exhausted, he didn’t even flinch.

The inside of Wigglytuff’s office never really changed. Jagged walls, creeping vines, a mix of grass and rock as the flooring, and, most importantly, open windows. Not that they were helping all that much. It seemed as though anything even remotely enclosed wound up trapping the smell.

Chatot, that cheeky little fuck, was very happily watching the proceedings near the windows. Or, he was. When Artemis opened the doors Chatot jumped, and his eyes widened as if he hadn’t been expecting them.

Wigglytuff seemed as though he didn’t even care about the revolting smell radiating from the large Muk in his office.

As for Artemis and Silvally? Well, Artemis had gone nose-blind at some point, and all that she could smell was pain. Maybe a little blood. Idly, she swiped a tail across her nose and found that if she was bleeding, it was internal—where the blood was supposed to be. At least there wasn’t anything else she needed to clean from her fur.

Silvally didn’t react when they walked into the room either. He was likely just as numb to everything as she was. Maybe worse off, considering his passenger, and the way he seemed to be struggling forward.

“Ah! There you are! You two are the fastest yet, I’m very impressed. I wasn’t expecting you for another six hours at least!” The Muk seemed to be rather jovial, his voice accentuated by bubbling and burbling—almost as if he was partially submerged when talking. The Pokémon appeared to be well off, if the clothing he wore meant anything. Somehow, the white button-up shirt stayed clean on him, and the monocle remained affixed to his face despite the rolling goo. Even the fancy top hat he wore was spotless, sitting on that shifting pile of sludge like it belonged.

Artemis glanced down at her ruined fur, and her internal temperature spiked. That wasn’t fair, not in the slightest. She wanted forever clean fur…

“Daddy!” the Grimer child exclaimed. “I missed you!” It slid off Silvally’s back and splattered on the ground, sending another heavy splash of goop onto Silvally and Artemis. They didn’t flinch. A little bit even landed on Wigglytuff’s foot, but other than a little twitch of his eye, he didn’t react.

“Kastur Nidor Foetidus the Third, did you make them carry you all the way back?” At those words, the Grimer flinched, and a sheepish look crossed its face. “We talked about this. If you want to play out there, you need to walk back. That’s poor manners. I will not raise a lazy child.”

Fucking what? Play!?

“Sorry, Daddy…” the Grimer, Kastur, murmured. It slid its way forward, angled down a little, looking at the floor.

“No, don’t apologize to me. Apologize to the lovely Pokémon that brought you back. You know you could have poisoned them, or accidentally melted their skin.”

It knew? Wait, melted their skin!?

Artemis glanced at Silvally.

“I, uh… Sorry, Miss Pretty Fox. Sorry Mister Explorer.” The Grimer looked up at the two of them, its expression hopeful. It even had its ‘hands’ clasped, looking at them with wide eyes. A Grimer begging for forgiveness was not an endearing sight.

“Mhm,” Artemis hummed. She didn’t trust herself to say anything else. She could feel the steam starting to wisp off her fur, and felt her paws growing warm.

“I’m terribly sorry, Artemis, Silvally. Kastur knows it shouldn’t be asking for rides. I personally know just how difficult it is to work grime out of fur coats. Why, I even had to make my own cleaning solution for it. Terrible hassle, really. But, it kickstarted my business.” The father of the nightmare child slid forward and picked up the Grimer, holding it upright. “And you. What happened to your clothes? Did you eat them again?”

“… Maybe?”

“That’s the third set this month. What am I going to do with you?”

“Let me not wear them?” Kastur asked hopefully.

“We talked about this. We need to be upstanding members of the community and set a good example. Can you imagine what folks would say if you were running around in the nude? It would tarnish our image.”

Artemis blinked. Her tails thrashed. Her claws sank into the solid stone below and carved out grooves with a horrendous screech. She didn’t move and tried to remain composed. The steam rolling off her body and the smoke from her back paws setting the grass on fire announced her mood exceptionally well.

Apparently, the Muk didn’t notice, or perhaps didn’t care, that Artemis was nearly frothing at the mouth. He seemed content explaining to his child the perils of high society and the importance of one’s appearance.

Right in front of them. The two Pokémon his child had covered in potentially acidic goo. The one that had ruined her fur after she spent so much time cleaning the mud out of it.

Artemis’s eye twitched, and her paw sank into the stone floor, melted stone planting a permanent reminder of her fury in the Guildmaster’s floor.

“Well, I suppose we should be off.” The Muk turned himself around to face Wigglytuff. “It was lovely catching up with you, Guildmaster. You as well, Specialist Chatot. You two are wonderful company as always, and I’ll make sure to send a little extra something on the next shipment.” The Muk turned to face Silvally and Artemis, giving them a big, goopy smile. “And you two! I must thank you again for retrieving my child in such a quick manner. Chatot always picks the best Pokémon for the job.”

…

Artemis slowly turned her head, shifting to the right, eyes sweeping to the aforementioned Pokémon. Chatot let out a startled squawk when their eyes met, and hopped back toward the window.

“Yep! Chatot is super smart!” Wigglytuff finally spoke up. Artemis had forgotten he was there. He just stood there. Smiling. Staring. “He’s the best.”

“Indeed. Again, I’m terribly sorry for the shenanigans my child caused. I’ll be sure to include extra compensation and leave it with Miss Kangaskhan at the Depot. As for your fur, the water in the bath hall should be more than capable of removing the grime, I made sure of that. Though…” The Muk squinted, the sludge covering part of his monocle as he did. “I believe I have several sets of Loppe’s Finest Brushes that went unpaid on this shipment. I think you might put them to good use—I’ll leave a set at the Depot as well. Do you have a team name I should address everything to?”

“A-actually, Mr. Foetidus,” Chatot spoke up, “Artemis is just paired with the outlaw to ensure he completes his community service.” The bird seemed to pause and realize how bad that sounded. His eyes widened and his wings flapped several times. “N-Not that your child was in any danger! Artemis is a skilled explorer and the outlaw is perfectly docile! In fact, many town residents witnessed-“

“I trust your judgement, Chatot, you haven’t failed me yet.” The Muk, Mr. Foetidus, looked at Silvally again. “Besides, no bad Pokémon would willingly carry my child for as long as he did.”

Chatot seemed to preen at that, standing taller, a satisfied look on his beak. Artemis could feel her anger slowly fading away—or maybe it was just boiling away with the melted rock beneath her paws.

Something bothered her though. Nothing about the apparently wealthy business Pokémon who seemed fine dropping his kid off in a mystery dungeon to ‘play.’ No, something about what Chatot said irked her, and she couldn’t figure out why. It itched at the back of her mind and pulled at that immense guilt just barely concealed by her annoyance.

“Artemis, Silvally,” Mr. Foetidus gained their attention. “If you ever find yourselves tiring of exploration work, come see me in Sahara City, or ask for me at one of my inns. I would be more than happy to hire upstanding Pokémon like yourselves.”

Artemis was caught off guard, confusion swirling in her mind. She didn’t plan on quitting exploration work ever, but now this random Pokémon was offering to hire them? After one job? Granted, it was a rough job, and rather personal to him, but still. Were all rich Pokémon this odd?

Silvally looked just as confused. Even in his exhausted state, his ears stood taller, and he took a half-step back. He seemed unsure, and Artemis couldn’t blame him. This whole thing was just weird. She had questions.

Her eyes shifted back to Chatot. She knew just who to ask.

“We’ll have to take our leave now. Kastur needs clothing and its Skuntank tablets. I think this batch was the best yet. Not too shabby if I do say so myself.” A literal bubbly laugh oozed from the Pokémon, deep and jovial.

“I’ll come with you!” Wigglytuff spoke up. “I don’t want to say goodbye just yet.”

“Very well, your company is always appreciated. Come along, Kastur, we’re going back to the boats.”

The Muk and Wigglytuff made their way between Artemis and Silvally, moving for the open doors. Kastur, the Grimer, sludged its way along as well, following behind the two adults. It waved goodbye to both Artemis and Silvally—it was endearing, in a way. If a demon-child could be endearing, that is.

And they left Chatot behind.

Artemis grinned, her tails giving a predatory flick.

“Wh- Wait! G-Guildmaster, I’d like to come too!” Chatot squawked and tried to make his way forward.

Artemis fanned out her tails, blocking the doors and preventing the bird from leaving. Silvally stood on the other side, unintentionally blocking the other half of the exit. He didn’t seem to be trying to stop the bird. Instead, Chatot appeared wary of approaching him.

“It’s okay, Chatot! You can keep our other friends company,” Wigglytuff said. “I’m sure they have a bunch of questions. You’re the best at explaining things. You can help them!” There was a subtle, playful lilt to his voice that hadn’t been there before.

Artemis glanced back through the gap in her tails and looked at the retreating form of Wigglytuff. He was walking backwards, watching the proceedings take place. Artemis couldn’t be sure, but his smile looked ever-so-slightly wider than before.

“Wait! Guildmaster! D-don’t leave me here!”

…

There was no response from Wigglytuff.

Artemis’s gaze snapped forward.

Chatot fluttered his wings and took several large hops back, making his way across the room at a rather impressive speed. Unfortunately, he wasn’t faster than Artemis’s Ice Beam. A stream of ice shot out and covered one window. Chatot made a desperate lunge for the other window, but that too was covered in seconds.

Despite her exhaustion, and her immense desire to just put this all behind her and go clean up, something felt off about all of this. Intentional. Especially because it was Chatot who gave them the request.

“Where are you going?” Artemis asked. “Aren’t you going to answer our questions?” She stalked forward, her fangs glimmering with cold, each breath out turning to a thick fog that dispersed along the rocky floor.

She’d keep the theatrics down for Silvally. Scaring him was the last thing she wanted to do right now—Arceus knew he was already traumatized enough. That, and she didn’t really have the energy to play things up anyway.

No, terror was only for Chatot.

“Wait! Wait, Artemis. H-hold on a second.” Chatot hopped back into a corner, and looked around, eyes glancing up at the ceiling. His wings spread, attempting to fly over her and make his escape.

Not gonna happen.

A lance of ice raced out of her jaws and caught Chatot in the leg, freezing him to the ground. He flailed and flapped and squawked in outrage—and likely fear—while trying his best to escape. He wasn’t having any luck though; the ice didn’t budge.

Chatot was stuck.

Artemis put on a tired smile and sat down in front of the bird. Just a nice smile. A calm smile. A look that radiated pure malice and contempt for the Pokémon in front of her, thinly pasted over with a quirk of her lips and a little squint of her eyes. That was all the effort she was going to put into it.

“N-now Artemis, there’s a perfectly reasonable explanation for all this!” Chatot struggled some more, even trying to beat his wings against the ice to free himself. He still wasn’t having any luck. “I, er, I can explain!”

“Then start,” she ordered.

“W-well, Mr. Foetidus is a close friend and partner of the guild. H-he’s rather important, and ships a lot to and from Treasure Town.”

“Mhm. I figured that part out already.” Artemis leaned in a little closer and huffed, a puff of steam escaping her nose and blowing into Chatot’s face, causing the bird to flinch. “Why was his kid out there?”

“He just came back from a delivery to Shaymin Village. He always leaves his child in that forest.”

“Why?”

“He told me Kastur gets bored on the long trip! And! There’s no danger because it’s impossible to concentrate enough to use Psychic. H-He and his child consume Skuntank tablets, it makes their odour overwhelming.” Chatot had long stopped trying to escape now. He stood as still as he could, answering the questions to the best of his ability. At least until the ice melted—she had time.

“We noticed,” Artemis growled. “You said it was urgent. Explain.”

“It was! Mr. Foetidus needs to leave by sunset. It was much less time than we usually have to retrieve his child. You were clearly the best choice for it! You’re significantly faster and more skilled than the recruits! Than all the Pokémon who reside in the guild!”

Artemis narrowed her eyes. He was trying to flatter her. She knew he wanted her to relax and let him go. There was another thing. His eyes. Chatot was trying far too hard to maintain eye contact—it was intentional. He was getting uncomfortable. With the windows blocked, there was no fresh air, and Chatot was starting to find this out the hard way.

“You’re hiding something.” Artemis huffed another breath of steam at Chatot, making the bird splutter. “Let’s just get this over with.”  

“Wh-what!? I would never! That’s the whole truth-“

“Chatot.”

“…”

Artemis leaned in closer, nose-to-beak with the aging bird. Sharp, narrow, blazing red eyes were locked onto his, and there was nowhere else for Chatot to look.

She growled. “Talk.”

“… Alright! Fine! I… I was hoping you would be stuck babysitting the child for a few hours! That’s all!”

“Why?” Artemis pulled back, sitting upright once more.

“Why!? You, you foisted the responsibility of babysitting the outlaw onto me, and took off! I have much more important things to do than that.” Chatot huffed and glared up at Artemis. “I was hoping you would be stuck with a talkative child for several hours. The foul smell was just extra punishment. I didn’t intend for… this.” He gestured toward Artemis’s fur.

…

Artemis stood up and turned away, her tails a flurry of movement, battering Chatot several times over as she stepped away.

“Wait, what!? Th-That’s it?” Chatot asked. “You’re not mad?”

“Nope,” Artemis said.

She walked back to the door and glanced at Silvally, the poor guy still just covered in slowly drying grime. He didn’t seem to be in pain, just exhausted and done with the day. He watched everything quietly, a neutral expression on his face. That or he was too tired to care.

She’d make this quick. After all, her fur was already a mess, a little more wouldn’t hurt. Not much, at least.

“Well, that’s very mature of you. I’m surprised, hehe! I thought you’d-“ One of Artemis’s tails snaked out, dipping itself into the puddle of sludge left behind. “Wh-what are you doing?” Chatot visibly grew nervous.

“Why would I be mad?” Artemis turned around and gestured with her tail, the end dripping with that horrible sludge. “Accidents happen.”

“N-Now you stop right there. Don’t come any closer!” Chatot started to panic, flapping and fluttering desperately, tugging at his frozen leg with all his strength.

But Artemis prowled closer.

And closer.

Her claws clicked on the stone as she approached. If she had more energy, she’d have layered on the theatrics to really make Chatot squirm. Her other tails dragged behind her, while the one remained poised, ready to strike.

“Stop this instant! I’m warning you! If you-“

Artemis mustered up enough energy to snap her tail forward with perfect accuracy, striking Chatot on the beak—right in front of the little spot where he breathed through his nose. It was just a dab, spread out so that there was no risk of it dripping.  

“Oops.” She flashed him a smile. Artemis wiped her tail on the ground near Chatot, making sure there was no mercy.

Chatot’s eyes widened and he flailed, trying to hold his breath. Artemis just fixed him with a stare and took several steps back. She waited, watching the bird slowly lose to the natural urge to breathe. Chatot tried to wipe it away with his wings, but it just smeared into his feathers and over more of his beak.

There was no escape from his punishment.

Then, Chatot took a deep, desperate breath. His eyes widened further, and he reeled back as if he’d been punched, a sickly gag and gasp escaping the bird.

“You’ll get used to it. The ice will melt in…” Artemis leaned in, and blew a frosty breath over the chunk of ice, causing it to grow, encasing Chatot’s other leg as well. “A few hours,” she said, quoting his earlier words.

Chatot heaved, trying to struggle against the ice to the best of his abilities between disgusting gags and gasps. “Artemis, you- I’m going to-“ he paused to hold back his lunch again, a sickly wet sound escaping him.

Artemis just walked away. There was no more need to torment the bird, she’d had her revenge and Chatot was going to suffer the fate he tried to trick her and Silvally into. Yet, somehow, the two of them still had it worse than Chatot did.

Though she was immensely satisfied that she’d turned the tables on Chatot, it did little to stem her bubbling anger. Having her fur ruined and dealing with all this because someone let their kid play in a Mystery Dungeon? Risking poison and actual harm because a child didn’t want to walk? The sneaky little ploy Chatot played out? If she weren’t so tired she’d be furious.

“Let’s go get cleaned up,” Artemis huffed. She walked closer to Silvally and paused at their established distance.

A shallow nod was his only response.

Artemis was starting to regret not going straight to get the gunk washed off of them. Sure, she felt gross and angry and awful, but it wasn’t anything she couldn’t handle. She figured that Silvally would feel the same. After all, he wasn’t in pain or anything, so that whole ‘melting skin’ thing wasn’t a concern. They were just gross and tired and miserable.

“Come on. We’re taking the rest of the day off. Maybe tomorrow too.” Artemis stepped around the remnants of the sludge and left Wigglytuff’s office. The heavy, familiar, inconsistent sound of Silvally’s walk met her ears, following behind her.

Now she was looking forward to a nice long soak. Just let her mind go blank for a little while, destress, and stop worrying about all this for a few hours. She’d had enough of everything for today.

If anything else tried to stop her from cleaning off, she was going to lose it.

As an afterthought, Artemis closed Wigglytuff’s doors. The loud thud covered Chatots’s sickened noises and frustrated shouts, leaving nothing but blissful silence.

~{O}~{O}~{O}~

They’d managed to secure themselves a spot in the back corner of the bath hall, in one of those smaller water basins separated from the central pool. It mimicked the appearance of a hot spring Silvally had stumbled upon once, though it was far more advanced. At least the rocks around it offered some measure of privacy, as did the isolated corner.

If he were in a better state of mind, he might have been looking into how it all worked. What the giant metal container on the ceiling was, where the water came from, why it never seemed to stop flowing, and how it didn’t overflow. As it was, Silvally was barely coherent enough to even think.

All of his concentration was put into making sure he didn’t fall over. The walls spun around him wildly, lurching in a new direction every time his eyes shifted. His talons and paws felt as if they were falling through the floor—it looked much closer than it actually was and rippled as much as the water did.

“Fucking- No one cleans out these shitty brushes.”

Artemis’s words caught his attention, and Silvally glanced at her. He immediately regretted it, the walls lurching and the floor threatening to buck him to the side. Widening his stance, he took a breath, doing his best to just remain upright.  

“Whatever, I’m sick of this.” Artemis moved away from the wall containing a variety of brushes and cleaning supplies—every side pool had its own section—and hurled the various cleaning instruments into the water. Her Treasure Bag fell to the floor with a dull thump, and she seemed to be fiddling with a lever of some kind. Apparently, she was satisfied, and she leapt into the pool with a tremendous splash. It took several long seconds for her to resurface.

“Oh, Arceus…” she purred. “Fuck yes. Finally.” Artemis dunked herself under the water again and came up soaked, fur plastered to her body, and a satisfied smile on her face. “I can already feel my fur coming loose.” Her tails floated up and around in the water, a fluffy-looking cloud surrounding her.

Silvally followed suit as quickly as he dared, dropping the bag from his jaws, which hit the floor with a much louder thud. Hopefully, he didn’t dent the floor. Careful steps turned him toward what he believed to be the stairs that lead into the basin and tentatively lowered a talon in, trying to feel out the step beneath the surface of the water.

“It’s not hot,” Artemis spoke up, noticing his careful movements. Silvally only nodded, not even looking at her, focusing on finding that small ledge.

He managed to get one talon in the water, and then slowly, hesitantly, the other. Thankfully, Artemis had taken the opposite side of the basin for herself, giving him plenty of room along the rocks. Silvally almost tripped trying to find the next step, the rocky surface hidden beneath layers of his spinning vision and the sloshing water.

With effort, stumbling, and extreme concentration, Silvally managed to step into the water. Almost immediately a cloud of purple started to bubble up around his legs, and a sharp, uncomfortable tingling sensation worked its way under his fur, scraping along his skin. It felt like a burn that only became apparent when the grime came loose. He winced, but otherwise remained still, just standing in the chest-deep water. Despite the pain, it felt nice.

Unfortunately, his back remained uncovered, so he had to awkwardly crouch down to let the water work up and over his fur. As he started to bend his legs that sharp tingling sensation sprang up again, much more intense, shooting up his spine like a lightning bolt. He spasmed, and the world spun and the water shifted and his body ached and he felt gross and sore and sick and uncomfortable. The wash of sensations bowled over him and he stumbled, taking a few steps to keep from falling into the water.

Artemis was too busy dragging her claws through her tails to notice anything, her own cloud of purple managing to wisp away. She was already brightening up, and her ears lazed back, relaxed—completely lost in her own world.

Silvally, nauseous and dizzy, waded through the water, clambering up onto one of the shallow ledges still partially submerged. A talon sloshed out onto the dry rocks, trying to ground himself from the sensation of water flowing around him, rocking back and forth in ripples, brushing through his fur. Slowly, shakily, he lowered himself, laying down so that the water only washed over his ribs. He closed his eyes, a swirling mix of colour blooming behind them, and laid his head on the comparatively cool rocks around the edge.

Half-submerged, he laid there, trying to remain composed. He was poisoned, he had to be. There was no other reason why he was so drained, sick, and exhausted. Everything was too hot, and too cold at the same time. His skin ached, and even though the water was slowly wicking away the grime from his lower half, he felt disgusting—inside and out.

He was never touching a Grimer again.

“C’mon, you should clean up. You don’t want that drying in your fur,” Artemis said. She had to be referring to the upper half of his back—he’d only briefly managed to wet it. He’d get there, just… not right now.  

A muffled affirmative slipped through his closed mouth, and one of his ears flicked. He mentally sorted through what he had in his Treasure Bag that might help. He didn’t have any of those seeds that seemed to heal everything, and he hadn’t found a Pecha berry recently. Maybe the last Oran berry might help.

Asking Artemis if she had anything felt as if he’d be crossing a line. He was supposed to prove he could handle himself, right? A little poison wouldn’t stop him from doing that. Asking for help, while she had to make sure he could function on his own, would prove him incapable. He might not ever be able to get out of this situation if he failed.

“Hey, are you okay? Are you even listening?”

Silvally replied with a nod. Well, he tried to. The slight motion had his sense of balance thrown off entirely and his dizziness spiked again. Luckily, he was laying down, so there wasn’t anywhere to fall. The world swayed dangerously with the movement, and deep breaths were the only thing preventing him from being sick.

He needed that Oran berry.

Sharp talons scraped along the stone and managed to catch the strap to his bag, dragging it toward him. It took some effort but he managed to work his talon in and grab the berry. It was a struggle to force himself to swallow it. Even the taste of something on his tongue added to the overwhelming array of sensations that pushed him toward the edge.

A small boost of energy surged through him, dulling the dizziness and working some strength back into his limbs. The painful stinging wherever the water washed over newly cleaned fur eased. He took a longer, deeper breath, growing a little more relaxed. Hesitantly, he opened his eyes, relieved that everything had stopped spinning. At least, for now. If he turned too quickly the walls twisted unpleasantly.

“Hey, quit ignoring me and talk. What’s going on?” Artemis’s tone was sharper, and the water seemed to be getting warmer as it flowed toward his end. She was getting angry. It was the tone of her voice. The splashing as her tails shifted around. The steamy heat that started to rise from the water on her side.

“… Poisoned,” he spit out, nervous. His gaze flicked toward her, and his heart skipped a beat. He wrenched his eyes away, unable to meet her angry red gaze. He hadn’t meant to make her upset. It wasn’t on purpose. Not to the extent that she was. He was trying so hard to do this right and to keep her anger at bay.

Why couldn’t he get this right?

“What?!” she barked. It was too loud. “Why didn’t you say something?”

Silvally could hear the water around her starting to sizzle, the heat radiating outward, making his skin crawl. He didn’t respond, choosing to remain quiet. Apparently, Artemis didn’t like that answer, and her tails thrashed in the water, making small waves that washed over him. It lapped further up his sides, causing stinging pain to radiate from the unwashed areas on his back.

“You have to tell me this shit! How the fuck am I supposed to help if you can’t tell me something’s wrong?”

Silvally flinched, folded his ears back, and clenched his jaw. Sharp talons curled into the rocks with a screech, and his hackles tried to raise. Instead of raised fur, all he got for his trouble was pain shooting up his spine, his fur still glued down from the Grimer sludge.

His heart rate spiked. He was too warm. Each breath only brought in hot, humid air that stuck to his lungs. His mind raced, thoughts a desperate swirl to try and sort out this mess. He’d messed up and needed to fix it. How? What did he do wrong? How could he fix it?

He couldn’t think. Artemis’s ire caused his thoughts to slip away as he grasped at them for answers. He knew he wasn’t in danger but his body screamed otherwise. His instincts told him there was a threat nearby—that he wasn’t safe.

“Sorry,” Silvally forced out, his voice shaky. It was a chore, fighting through the dry feeling in his mouth and the trembling muscles as adrenaline flooded his system. Not saying anything had just upset her, so he had to try something, anything else.

“Sorry? Sorry isn’t going to cut it if you collapse and I have to drag your ass to the hospital,” she snapped.

Silvally flinched. The thought of dozens of hands and paws and strangers around him made everything so much worse. All of them touching him, moving him around, poking and prodding and pulling and inspecting. He’d be too weak to prevent any of it from happening.

“Sorry isn’t going to convince wild Pokémon or criminals to let you live!”

His ears folded back, and he tried to keep calm. He swore his heartbeat was audible through the whole room. It had to be. It was too fast. Too loud. Too much.

“What are you going to do out there when you collapse on your own? It doesn’t matter how tough you are, how fast, or how much you practice. One wrong move and that’s it!” There was an odd lilt to her voice, something deep creeping out in her words.

The water sloshed again, creeping up a little higher on his back, another jolt of pain shooting through him. Artemis was coming closer. The water heated further, and he could see the steam wisping by him. He could hear the water bubbling around her, boiling from her anger.

She was close. Too close. Too angry. Silvally whirled around to face her, eyes wide.

“You need to-“ Their eyes met and Artemis staggered, pulling back. She paused for a moment, before she grit her teeth, trying to continue her tirade. “You need to tell me when…” Artemis blinked and took a breath.

Silvally had to look away. He locked his eyes onto the rocks just past the Ninetales, keeping her in his peripheral. Looking at her head on made his whole body numb. He wanted to run, or hide, or do anything to separate himself from her, and it was all he could do to shove that desperate urge down into the depths of his mind.

“W-wait, no, I… I didn’t-“ Artemis pulled back and the temperature around her plummeted as fast as her anger. “No, no, no... Shit! I’m sorry, I-“ She stumbled a little on the uneven surface and backed herself away further. One of her paws raised, almost trying to reach out to Silvally, before she froze, and withdrew as if burned. “I’m… I- Shit, I just… I-I didn’t mean to.” Her ears were flat against her head, and her tails had stopped floating, tucked down beneath the water. “Look, I just… I-I didn’t mean… Fuck!”

Silvally closed his eyes and turned away. Now that he knew Artemis wasn’t coming closer, he could focus. He set his jaw on the edge of the rocks and breathed deeply through his nose—or as deeply as he could. His chest was too tight, lungs burning, heart sucking up oxygen greedily to fuel his mind and body. He still couldn’t smell anything, it all just burned and ached. Still, it was something to focus on. Talons held the rocky outside firmly, keeping him settled from the stormy typhoon of thoughts and fears in his mind.

A metal clasp snapped open, and Silvally glanced at it. Artemis’s bag was surrounded by a pink glow and upended itself. Dozens of seeds, berries, orbs, and other small pieces fell to the floor, the entire contents spilling out. The bag fell soon after, landing atop the pile.

The psychic glow switched to encase a single seed from the pile, and it lurched forward. The small object skittered across the rocks and semi-smooth floor, directly toward him. Silvally flinched away, looking down as the tiny object came to a halt beside his talon.

“Here—a Heal Seed,” Artemis murmured. “It’s not as good as a Pecha, but it’ll help. I hope.” She sounded further away now, and there wasn’t any sound of water moving from her side of the basin.

A shaky talon clamped down around the seed, and Silvally ate it without a second thought. Immediately a soothing feeling radiated outward from his core. It eased his nausea and made the world stop twisting at the edge of his vision. His heart rate slowed drastically, and his muscles stopped twitching. It felt as if it had just applied the reset button to his entire body, and he was left just feeling sore and a little drained. It was as if nothing had even happened, and he let out a sigh.

All the stress, all the adrenaline, the fear, confusion, overwhelming feelings cluttering his mind… All gone. Replaced with cool, calming logic and reason.

“Thanks.” Silvally brought his other foreleg back into the water, and shifted to the side, wincing at the stabbing feeling seeping under his fur.

His gaze fell on Artemis, which was easy now that she wasn’t angry at him. She was looking at him out of the corner of her eye, hunched over a little, her paws working over her tails in a slow, distracted fashion. His eyes met hers and, surprisingly, she flinched away, turning her gaze to the water instead. With flat ears and her fur plastered to her, she looked smaller than usual. That massive, constant presence of pride and power fizzled away into nothing, leaving a small, anxious fox sitting in the water.

Now that Silvally could stand without losing his balance, he shuffled his way off the shallow stone ledge. He stood up and took a breath, preparing himself for the coming pain. Slowly, he lowered himself into the water, clenching his jaw as it started to work its way up his back. He hissed through his teeth, but continued, pushing himself until he was submerged up to his jaw. The water worked through his fur and ate at the grime, lifting it away, causing a cloud of purple to bleed from his body and disappear into a little gap in the rocks.

Looking closely, he thought he could see a few spots that were a much deeper purple, but it was difficult to tell.

“Are you okay?” Artemis asked at his soft hiss of pain. Silvally looked at her again, only for her to turn away and avoid his gaze, lowering herself in the water a little more. “Sorry, I… Never mind.”

She seemed to feel bad for her outburst. Not that what she said was exactly wrong, at least he didn’t think it was. It made sense, and it kept them safe—so they didn’t go into anything unprepared. He didn’t think it was a big deal overall, but… What would he do if Artemis was hiding that she was sick, and collapsed? He couldn’t just leave her there, and protecting someone from ferals was so much harder than just keeping himself safe. And that would involve having to get close—maybe even carry her back.

He didn’t think he’d be able to handle that. How ironic that would be? If it came down to it, the subject of his nightmares would carry him back to get help, while he couldn’t bring himself to come close to her.

Clearly, keeping secrets like being ill was just detrimental. It was an unnecessary risk. She wanted him to talk, and she didn’t seem upset that he was poisoned, so much as he didn’t tell her he was. That made sense to him, at least. It was something he understood.

“… It stings.” The confession came after several long seconds of awkward silence.

Artemis’s ears twitched upward slightly, but she didn’t look at him. “Oh,” she replied. “Do… You don’t need to go to the hospital, right?”

“No.”

“Okay.”

…

The outburst of anger seemed to have done something to Artemis. It almost seemed as if she felt bad about it—ashamed of herself. Of course, he still couldn’t ask, it was too personal, and might set her off again. Not that he blamed her for being snappy with the day they’d had, nor the frustration toward Chatot and his ‘revenge’ of sorts. He felt a touch annoyed as well, though he was just unhappy that the whole thing was preventable in the first place.

Silvally, as terrified as he was of an angry Artemis, wasn’t nearly as threatened when she was actively trying to be nice. Or, at the very least, not being hostile. It was weird and different, but… Maybe that’s what he needed. Something different to the usual terror-inducing fox. He preferred it to the angry tension from the first week, at least. The constant conversation seemed to be helping—he didn’t jump when she talked.

… Most of the time.

And, if she wasn’t willing or able to talk, well... He was the one who had to show he could integrate into society—not that he planned to—and that involved getting along with people. And talking. Far too much of it. He steeled himself for a potential outburst and took a few breaths to settle the rising prickles of fear.

“… Are you okay?” He was just returning the favour from earlier. Ask questions, and make sure she was alright. She’d done the same in the café, and now she was the one visibly uncomfortable, so it wasn’t a weird escalation on his part. Just logic—meet the levels of kindness he was being shown and return them.

The swishing and rippling of water from Artemis’s side stopped. He didn’t look, but he heard her take a breath, and try to say something, only to pause. She seemed to struggle with her words, and Silvally just listened, focusing on her words instead of the jolts of pain growing as the sludge was pulled from his fur, exposing what had to be raw skin beneath.

“I’m… I feel gross. And I’m tired. A little angry that Chatot gave us the job, and pissed about the kid being left in the dungeon. That’s not right.” She let the words flow, and Silvally listened. “That and the fur thing. The little shit knew too, and still did it. Kids...” Artemis let out a little laugh that trailed off into a sigh. Her attention shifted back to her tails, and one of the brushes drifted toward her, using her psychic abilities to clean her fur.

Silvally, content with the more natural end to the conversation, returned to cleaning out his fur. He curled around, using his talons to rake through his fur in firm, steady strokes. Sharp claws caught against his raw, sensitive skin, and he winced, trying his best to reach what he could. Unfortunately, he wound up scratching a little too deep sometimes, drawing blood. It stung even more, the water and purple goo mixing and rubbing against the scrapes.

Minutes passed by like this, Silvally doing his best to not carve up his body beneath his fur too badly. Unfortunately, his body composition made it difficult to reach much more than his ribs and lower back. When he wasn’t able to get further with his talons, he resorted to scratching at the back of his neck and between his shoulders with a hind leg.

He hissed through his teeth, the uncoordinated swipes digging into his skin. Still, he persisted—there wasn’t any way he’d be able to wait for the rest of this to just flake off his fur, and it itched as much as it burned. A few scratches were okay, he’d heal.

It felt like he was making progress if the growing pool of dark purple drifting up in the water was any indication. Sure, it hurt, but the water started to soothe the pain, and-

“Hey, stop! You’re bleeding!”

Artemis’s voice snapped him out of it, and he looked down at the water to find that, yes, there was red mixing in with the purple. It wasn’t a terribly concerning amount, but it was noticeable, especially with the few clumps of fur that had caught and been torn out.

“Just use the brushes,” Artemis huffed. She made it sound like the simplest thing in the world.

“I can’t reach,” he replied, standing to demonstrate that his body was not a freakish boneless construct. Unfortunately, things like his ribs, shoulders, and spine got in the way of folding himself in half.

“Arceus, of course,” she huffed. She didn’t seem to be mad at him, so much as frustrated with things growing difficult throughout the day. Her now-clean tails thrashed in the water, and her eyes narrowed, looking at him, and then away to what they had available.

Silvally tentatively grabbed for one of the long-handled brushes and attempted to move his talons in a way to reach. Unfortunately, they didn’t bend that way, and he managed to get slightly further with the brush than his talons, and much less effectively. He moved for something else, a kind of brush with a strap on it that looked like it would secure itself to a Pokémon’s back paw. It didn’t fit, his paws were wider than the strap could possibly hold.

A huff of annoyance slipped free, and he flicked his talon, sending the small object skipping across the surface of the water, which hit the rocks with a clack. Nothing else supplied would work, he could tell just by looking at them. So, out of options, Silvally dunked himself under the water and awkwardly maneuvered himself around, pressing his back against the rocks to scrape whatever he could off.

It wasn’t working.

“Do you…” Artemis trailed off for a moment. She shook her head, and gave a loud huff, steeling herself. “Fuck it. Do you want help?” She continued before Silvally could do more than look at her in surprise. “I won’t touch you! I’m going to stay over here. I’ll just use Psychic to move the brushes. Only the spots you can’t reach, that’s it.”

Silvally’s ears flicked back and forth, concern and confusion and all sorts of odd emotions spiking within. The idea of her getting close made his anxiety creep upward, already imagining those claws and teeth and-

He took a breath. He shoved all that panic and fear to the back of his mind, in that little corner where he’d ideally forget about it soon. All that mattered was what made sense.

Silvally couldn’t get that spot between his shoulders and down his back. He could always do what he’d done before and scrape himself against rocks and trees—make himself bleed to come clean. It would take a few days but it was doable.

Or… he could let someone hyper-fixated on the cleanliness of her fur help. She wouldn’t even come close, so there was no risk of biting or scratching. Idly, he thought of the fire or ice she could hurl at him, but banished those thoughts. If Artemis wanted to hurt him, she would have done so in the dungeons when they were alone. Yet, here he was. After all these days and all those chances, still burn-free, unfrozen, and safe.

He could be uncomfortable and feel gross for days and scrape himself bloody several times to clean off. Or… he could suffer through a few minutes of discomfort and it’ll be over with.

There was only one choice. He might hate the idea and everything about it, but, logically, this was the best decision. Relying on his emotions to make choices just led to mistakes.

“I…” Despite his reasoning, he found it difficult to force out the words. They stuck to his tongue and refused to leave, as if he was moments away from inviting danger. “… Okay. Yes,” he finally managed. After a moment he tacked on a little “Please,” just to be polite.

It seemed as if Artemis wasn’t expecting that—her ears shot straight up in surprise. She looked stunned, which seemed to be happening more and more often whenever he would do something a little different. He didn’t have to like it; he was still going to adapt to his environment. Living and working in a collaborative environment like this called for some changes. Uncomfortable ones.

“Oh, I, uh, I didn’t think you actually would. Shit. Okay.” Artemis shook her head and focused, ears tilting forward, her full concentration on him.

He didn’t like that at all.

“Alright, I need you to turn around. I’ll stay right here and do my thing. You just… breathe, I guess?”

That was easier said than done. Even as he sloshed his way around and sat upright, talons on that shallow stone shelf, he found his chest was growing tighter. Water shifted around behind him, and he tensed, talons scratching the rock. The anticipation was killing him.

Artemis whispered to herself; the sound barely audible. “Alright, Artemis, you can do this. Don’t fuck this up.” Silvally just managed to catch the words, before she spoke to him directly. “Your fur is much more wiry than mine, so it’s going to take me a second to get this right. Just tell me to stop, and I’ll drop everything. Okay?”

Silvally nodded and looked forward. He just had to think about something else to distract himself. He glanced down to watch all that water flow into the rocks, and, if he looked closely, a metal mesh behind it all. His interest piqued, he leaned in and-

A small wash of water slid its way down his neck, between his shoulders, and down his spine. He tensed, and shuddered, before forcing himself to relax as a pressure formed at the back of his neck. Something worked its way down his back. It threaded through his fur, snaked down between his shoulders, and about halfway down his spine. He jolted in surprise and took a breath.

He hated this. He wanted it to stop. It was too close and risky and violating and awful. But… It was only a few minutes. A few minutes of adrenaline-fuelled anxiety, but it was the best way to do this. He could do it.

Maybe.

“While I do this, why don’t you get the gunk out of your feathers.” Another slow, steady work of that brush glided down between his shoulders. A few clumps of fur tugged and pulled as the brush slid down, but it was relatively painless.

Her words caught his attention. Silvally was certain he didn’t have any in his feathers, the child remained on his back the whole time. Still, he couldn’t exactly see them. A tentative talon reached up, his body twitching again as the brush made another pass, and worked his talons about his feathered crest.

There was nothing there. He tried again, and then a third time, really making sure his talons slid along the feathers. Nothing. He said as much to Artemis. Another sluice of water cut through his fur, the water around him much less purple.

“No, really. Your feathers are purple. You got a little on your cheek too. And tail,” she explained.

Silvally blinked. Cheek, feathers and tail? He looked down at the water and squinted, focusing on his rippling reflection.

He had purple eyes.

He’d type-shifted. When did he do that? Why did he do that? How? Was it during the trip? He’d figured Artemis would have commented on it. Then again, they were both just miserable, and Artemis was barely holding herself back from throttling the Muk businessman. She’d clearly had other things on her mind.

Silvally took another breath, and relaxed, releasing a tension in his core he wasn’t aware he was holding. He felt the familiar change of a type-shift adjust the energy within him. That sick feeling that had been creeping around inside him, making him feel warm and gross, just melted away. What replaced it was a numb, sickly feeling throughout his fur, everywhere the Grimer had touched. He felt raw, itchy, almost like he’d gotten a chemical burn.  

The brush stopped against one of his shoulders, the sharp points digging into his skin. A little shift forward alleviated that, and the brushing continued a moment later.

“How do you do that? The whole… changing your type thing,” Artemis asked. The question was accompanied by a slow stream of water trickling down the back of his neck, and another slow brush through his fur.

“I don’t know,” he admitted. “I just focus.” A sigh slipped from him as the brush made another slow, steady pass through his fur. It was oddly pleasant now that he wasn’t stressed over it. He hated the sensation of being touched as much as he seemed to crave it. He allowed himself to relax into it just a bit more.

“That’s… really fucking weird, I’m going to be honest,” Artemis said. “I’ve never seen an ability like that. Well…” The brush worked steadily through his fur in lazy, smooth strokes, in an almost distracted fashion. “There are Kecleon. I’ve seen them change their type, but it isn’t intentional. Yours is different.”

“How different?” Silvally asked. He allowed his eyelids to slip closed, shifting himself just slightly to get the brush to work along another portion of his back. It was, somehow, really nice. The water was warm, his mind was busy, and spots he didn’t know were itchy were being tended to.

“Well, Kecleon only changes when they’re hit by a type-energy from the outside. It’s kinda like camouflage but for attacks. Keeps them safer if the next hit is the same type,” Artemis explained. She gave a thoughtful hum and used her Psychic to scoop up more water, allowing it to trickle through Silvally’s fur, followed by another series of slow, smooth brush strokes. “You seem to pick whatever type you want, whenever you want to.”

Silvally turned his head to look at Artemis, acknowledging her words with a slight nod. Curling around a little bit more, he craned his neck so he could look at his fur. He was spotless. Yet, Artemis continued her slow, distracted brushing, as if not paying attention.

Her eyes met his. She looked down at the brush still working through his fur, then back to him. Her ears, once relaxed, folded back in embarrassment, and the brush immediately dropped. It hit the water with a little splash and drifted away from him.

“Oh, uh, right. Sorry. I’m done. You’re all good.” Artemis let out a small laugh.

“Thank you.”

Artemis hummed a reply, remaining in her spot while Silvally clambered up onto the stone shelf and sprawled across it. Now that the two were finished, there wasn’t much else to do. He and Artemis just kind of looked at one another, the silence growing louder between the two.

Silvally broke eye contact first, not just because he was uncomfortable, but because he felt something tap against his side. It was one of the brushes.

“How did you do it?” Silvally asked, the thought springing to mind. He didn’t know what came over him, but it was too late to back out now. “With the brush,” he added. A talon wrapped around the small tool and he tossed it back into the middle of the water. The two watched it bob to the surface, floating amidst the other items.

“I guess… same as you. I just have to focus,” Artemis explained. The brush glowed once more and drifted into the air, dripping water. “It’s not easy to do, I had to practice a lot. Most Ninetales can’t even do it.” Pride laced her voice with that comment, and a little grin split her lips. “I kind of think about how I’d hold it, how hard I would have to, and try to make sure I’m not lifting with too much force. It takes a lot of concentration, at least, for me.”

The two blinked, and glanced at one another, before turning back to the brush.

“Huh, maybe that smelly psycho and his kid were right. I know I wouldn’t have been able to concentrate with how the dungeon was. And, if I lived in there, I’d want to get the fuck away from that kid too.” Artemis huffed in amusement, allowing the brush to drop into the water again. “Hey, about the type-changing thing. Can you do any type, or is there a limit?”

“I don’t know,” Silvally admitted. He took a moment to think. “I can do… five. No, six now.” If his regular typing counted, he still had Fighting, Electric, Flying, Water, and now Poison. Idly, he wondered if it had to do with exposure to some specific energy or natural element.

“I wonder if it’s because the smelly little gremlin was on your back for so long.”

Silvally couldn’t help the huff of laughter that escaped him, genuinely not expecting that comment. The corner of his mouth quirked up in a smile, drawing Artemis’s attention as much as the laugh.

“What’s so funny?” She tilted her head to the side, ears perking up. “I’m being honest. Maybe that’s part of it.”

“Had the same thought.” He wasn’t going to tell her that she put it in much more entertaining terms. She’d either laugh or get angry, and the chance wasn’t exactly worth it. Still, she smiled just a little bit.

She wasn’t so terrifying with a smile.

“I… I don’t know if this will help, but I have to think of how something feels to use ice or fire. Or at least if I have to use them together, or one after another.”

Silvally was interested now. “It’s like that,” he replied. “Kind of.” His mind stilled and he thought of the vastness of the ocean. The way water felt, and how it flowed and moved. The fluid, shifting state as it sought to wear away at impossibly strong structures through time. He felt that familiar tug, and that odd shift in his body, the energy running through him more like a stream, mimicking water. He opened his eyes and looked at his fur, which had taken on a slightly blue hue.

“So how did you do that? What did you think of or feel?” Artemis asked.

“Water.”

…

Artemis blinked and rolled her eyes hard enough that Silvally swore he felt it. “I never would have guessed.” She huffed through her nose and shook her head. “Okay, fine. That’s on me. Can you do the poison one again?”

Silvally was invested now, his mind whirring, focusing on the odd aspects of his ability that he never really took into consideration. Curious, he tried to concentrate. What would poison feel like?

He pictured that horrible, awful sludge of Muks and Grimers. He thought of the horrible sizzling of Croagunk’s poisoned claws dripping on the floor. Reminded himself of that awful, dizzying, gross feeling that made his insides feel warm and unsettled.

He nearly gagged for all this effort, the thought of all that combined made him ill.

“Hey, you did it,” Artemis said. “How do you feel?”

His energy had changed to a thick, roiling, warm feeling in his core. It was a heavy yet free-flowing fluid that snaked about, ready to eat away at anything living, or make someone feel so awful they could barely function.

As for how he felt…

“Sick,” Silvally admitted. He quickly shifted himself back, grimacing at the sickening feeling of something hot and revolting clinging to the back of his tongue. Rolling his tongue from his mouth, he gently scraped his talons against it, trying in vain to get rid of the taste.

Artemis just laughed at his misfortune.

~{O}~{O}~{O}~

Unbeknownst to the two of them, they had been drawing attention as they went about their business. The occasional glances from guild Pokémon were nothing to be worried about—they all returned to their own groups and conversations, though one or two did glare before turning back.

But there was someone else who saw everything that happened. He’d just come back with his team from their toughest mission yet, and honestly, he was feeling pretty good about himself. His team had done an amazing job and had followed his orders flawlessly.

Well, when they listened to his orders, that is. But! When they listened to him, they were flawless! He was very proud of them all.

Unfortunately, even though the rest of his team was just as proud and excited about finding someone’s lost Pecha berry in a pretty tricky dungeon… He’d stepped in a mud trap. He didn’t mind at all! It was just the mark of a good explorer putting in hard work. Getting grimy and gross was always part of the job!

The rest of the team didn’t think so. They’d kicked him from their room and told him to go clean up. They just didn’t know how to have proper fun like he did, they were too picky about their fur. A silly thing in his opinion. Why bother when it was going to get dirty again anyway. Not bathing saved time for more missions!

Yet, as the fantastic team leader he was, he listened to his teammates and went to the bath hall. He fully intended to clean up and look his absolute best, just for his team! Truly, he was the best team leader.

That plan was shattered when he walked through the door. Immediately his ears perked up, and he heard the sound of his idol.

She was in here at the same time as him! Maybe he’d have the chance to talk to her and regale her with the stories of his—and his team’s—amazing adventure. Or, even more scandalously… Maybe they’d share a bath!

His cheeks flushed at the thought, and his tail wagged rapidly.

But… He couldn’t see her. He looked around, trying his best to look inconspicuous. His team told him it made him look ‘completely conspicuous’ but he didn’t buy it. They didn’t appreciate his natural acting talents. Also, he didn’t know what ‘conspicuous’ meant but it sounded worse than his word, so clearly it was the bad one.

His eyes roamed the bath hall—no it’s not weird, shut up—and he blinked. There was the former outlaw! Mr. Silvally, probably. That sounded right. And, if he was around, that meant Artemis had to be nearby. After all, she was forced to watch him because he used to be a Bad Pokémon, and now he was a good guy. And what better teacher to be a hero than the best one in the whole world?

So, he walked closer, and closer, coming up to the edge of a pool.

One that was on the opposite side of the hall. This was close enough to spy on them though.

“Can I help ya, kid?” The bath occupier asked.

“Nope,” he replied. He had to ignore the weird looks he was getting, he had to focus.

So, focus he did. He looked and watched and very quickly realized… She was brushing him! And they were talking! And… and now Mr. Silvally was showing off a bunch of different colour changes.

And she liked it!

Growlithe felt his blood run cold. This couldn’t be possible. It shouldn’t be possible. Artemis was supposed to watch over the Bad Pokémon and make sure he turned good. They weren’t supposed to be friends! But… friends didn’t brush each other’s fur or laugh or change colours around each other!

After all, whenever he turned red there were some serious feelings every single time.

But now, because Artemis was stuck… babysitting a fully grown Pokémon—which wasn’t at all impressive, he shouldn’t have been a criminal in the first place—Growlithe was losing his chance! He’d even confessed his feelings—through a very shaky and quiet voice—and even though she didn’t respond he was certain she’d heard him. She was cool like that.

His team heard him and laughed. Well, Eevee laughed. The others kinda snickered, but they were much more polite about it.

Growlithe took a step back, conveniently ignoring the team of four Pokémon about three steps to the right that were sitting in a circle, brushing each other's fur, and laughing. That didn’t count. Those were friends, not a clear almost-couple flirting with each other.  

With a growing pit in his stomach, Growlithe turned and ran from the bath hall. He needed to go talk to his team! They needed a new plan. Their hardest mission ever was today, and that definitely wasn’t enough. He was falling behind, and they weren’t doing things that were impressive enough to catch the attention of top-ranked explorers.

Team Floof needed to be recognized, and do something that really stood out. But first, they needed to train, and train hard. Today would be a walk in the park compared to what tomorrow would bring.

Massive thanks to my supporters, it means the world to me: Baron of Bonk, Valon, Nithalys, IRS, Sugarcube, Blobbycat, JoeyW, Nihilea, Pizzajolt, Sleepyghost, Crpen1992

Big thanks to these people who read early and edited or provided comments, you help make the story that much better: Crpen1992, SleeplessArcher, Garmfild, Fabhar

WE ALSO HAVE MORE FAN ART! Big thanks to Vetu Asaber and HootHoot for the art. I'll be going back and adding the appropriate images to each chapter that they occurred in. Any new stuff or silly things are also posted to Imgur under the tag "Heroes of the Past" and under my name.

Silvally Drawing (Chapter 7) - by HootHoot

Silvally & Artemis in the Cafe (Chapter 10) - by HootHoot

Artemis We Need to do Something - by Vetu Asaber

You Wanna See Me When I'm Confident? - by Vetu Asaber

Chapter Text

The islands had been under siege lately. Well, not siege, so much as an odd tsunami of bodies that just refused to let up. They would swap which island they would go to, seemingly at random. Yellow Point, Blue Point, Red Point, it didn't matter. The ghosts would stop for a short time after being sent back home–read: evaporated–and then start again like nothing happened. It was wreaking havoc on everyone's sleep schedule. That's not including the nightmares, which were just a whole other level of nonsensical.

Being a legendary, dreams usually meant something. Some forewarning from Arceus, or a hint as to some big event coming up. There'd even been times where a dream had shown him where he'd misplaced an item. Very convenient!

But now, they were nothing but a mess of rainbow swirls. Holes in things that didn't have holes, giving way to rippling walls of colour. Shadows that seemed to linger just out of sight but there was no malice to them. Flashes of a round object of sorts, indistinguishable from the darkness around it.

No one could make sense of it. At least, there wasn't any urgency to them. Things were relatively peaceful and calm, all things considered.

Well… Except for the waves of ghosts he was in the middle of fighting back. Normally this would be a breeze, but a lack of sleep and a very distracted fighting partner made things… unpleasant.

"I just feel bad about having to leave them suddenly," Mew sighed. She twisted uncomfortably in the air, and curled her tail around to grab it, giving it a little squeeze. "I just wish I could help them more, you know?"

"You could help me by focusing, Mew," Zapdos grunted. He flapped his wings hard, sending a stream of lightning bolts screaming downward, impacting the water with explosions of steam.

"I mean, they've both been through a lot. Artemis's village was destroyed, she was adopted by literal heroes, and fixated on criminals because of that. Then her parents went missing, and now she's stuck with Silvally." Mew shook her head and let out a sigh, her tail going limp in her paws.

"Mew, please. I need you to focus. There's more coming." Zapdos twisted to the side, avoiding a shadowy ball of energy streaking past, followed by a lance of fire grazing the tip of his wing.

"And don't get me started with Silvally. He lost his memory and was hunted for two years. I can't believe he's not more broken. It's a pleasant surprise, but I'm really worried about it." Mew released her tail, and threw up her paws in confusion and frustration. "I've known Pokémon who've gone crazy from less!"

"I'm going to go crazy if you don't start helping…"

"And now that they're both together, I'm just really worried. Silvally is scared of her; Artemis is scared of hurting him. Sure, it seems like it's kind of working, but the whole thing is unfair. Both are stuck with their own personal demons and now-"

"I SWEAR TO ARCEUS-"

Mew interrupted Zapdos with a flick of her tail, narrowing her eyes at the legendary bird. Without a word, she raised a paw and pointed it out at the ocean, a yellow glow starting to form in the center of her paw. The glow grew brighter, and a loud hum started to emanate from the growing ball of electricity. It grew larger, louder, the building electrical field causing Mew's fur to stand on end, and caused Zapdos's own electrical field to surge in response, streaks of light forming between the two Pokémon.

Once the ball was larger than Mew, it collapsed in on itself, leaving nothing more than a glowing speck at the center of her tiny paw, almost indistinguishable from the stars of the night sky around them. A thin beam of yellow shot forward from the speck, streaking toward the ocean fast as lightning. Upon impact with the water, light exploded outward, rippling across the surface of the sea and expanding rapidly. Arcs of electricity sparked across the surface, lancing upward to strike at the horde of Ghost Pokémon from beneath, causing them to stop their advance across the ocean.

The electrified water continued glowing, the terrain effect lingering, causing sparks to dance over the various ghosts, slowing their movement to a halt. The army of ghosts shook and strained as they were electrocuted, the combination of elements wreaking havoc on their forms.

"Well?" Mew asked. She crossed her arms and looked at Zapdos, her tail giving an irritated twitch. "Go on, do your thing. I swear, you have no patience."

Zapdos sighed and rolled his eyes, used to Mew's chaotic antics. He turned his attention to the horde of ghosts struggling to make their way forward, watching their bodies twitch from the water-induced electrocution. He flew lower, shifting to the side, avoiding a lance of ice shot toward him.

The electrical charge rolling from his body spiked, and his flight-feathers glowed with immense power. He was finally able to focus enough, no longer worried about the individual ghosts swarming his island, and empowered by the lingering electrical field. The charge grew, lightning streaked out from his body, and he flapped his wings forward, releasing all the stored energy.

A wall of lightning rained down upon the horde of ghosts, frying them instantly, evaporating their essence, sending them back to Ghost Island. It shot over the group, and in the blink of an eye, the wall of approaching ghosts was no more. All that was left behind was a cloud of steam rising up from the flash-boiled water, and the lingering wails of ghost-types as they scattered to the wind.

"There. That was all you had to do. Was that so hard?" Zapdos asked, turning to face Mew once more.

"They were all going for you—I just needed to wait until they were close together," Mew explained with a wave of her paw. "Now are you going to let me talk, or are you going to interrupt again?"

Zapdos sighed, his head dropping in reluctant acceptance. She wasn't the one being hounded by ghosts for days and plagued with nightmares—instead she got to gallivant around the forests and hang out with her new friends, troubled as they may be.

Hopefully, the static electricity on his island would make her fur itch enough to get her to leave. All Zapdos wanted was a nap.

~{O}~{O}~{O}~

Artemis padded her way through Treasure Town, her spirits high. She'd slept well, ate well, and Silvally had agreed that they both needed a day off to just exist—to properly restock the supplies they carried. Neither wanted to repeat yesterday. Not when rope would have solved damn-near everything.

She was also rather glad Chatot had refused to even look at her when she passed by. Revenge was a dish best served warm and goopy, it seemed.

As she walked, she couldn't help tossing a glance over her shoulder, checking for her indentured shadow. Silvally wasn't there, of course, but paranoia was something most experienced explorers picked up. This was her home, her safe place, and where she was waiting for her parents to see her, or leave a note, or something. She couldn't take chances, because even if Silvally was a good Pokémon, it just felt… wrong. Bringing someone who'd been on the wrong side of the law for so long to her home? Someone she hunted down for months?

Not a chance.

There wasn't much to worry about—Silvally was still sound asleep at the guild. Asleep, or in a food coma, either situation was completely possible. Honestly, how he'd managed to eat three plates without pause last night was staggering. It was like watching guild trainees running an obstacle course and piling up on top of each other. She wanted to help, or make it stop but… it was hard to look away. She just had to watch it all unfold.

Then again, the poor guy needed it, considering his size, and the state he was in when he was finally caught. Thankfully, his ribs weren't showing nearly as much now.

So, even though Artemis wasn't expecting to wake up before Silvally, she wasn't really surprised. Recovering from a rough poisoning like that wasn't easy, especially with only a Heal Seed. Sure, it cured it. It didn't really help deal with the after-effects though, not like a Pecha berry did. But with all that, plus just the general long day full of awkward and weird emotions, stress, and a bath that had no right to be that damn relaxing, she wasn't surprised that she was up first.

And yes, she'd checked to make sure he didn't die from residual poisoning, she wasn't an idiot.

Given this rare opportunity to be alone, Artemis's first order of business was to check on her home. She did her best not to hold out hope that something had changed with her parents, but… It was hard not to be hopeful. There was always that little chance, and she had to keep herself from running through town.

Upon reaching her home on Sharpedo Bluff, Artemis glanced over her shoulder again. Just in case. Properly alone, she turned back and shifted the boulder she'd settled over the entrance, exposing the wooden door. That too was opened with a tug of Psychic, allowing a gust of salty ocean wind to brush over her fur.

Fully alert, with perked ears, Artemis stepped down into her home, careful not to make noise on the off-chance someone decided to borrow the place while she was gone. As she walked down the stairs and into the only room, she couldn't help her tails from falling and ears from drooping.

It was empty.

She wasn't surprised, but the sting of being no closer to finding her parents than the day they went missing didn't seem to ease over time. It just reminded her that instead of looking for them like a good daughter, she was stuck babysitting.

Watching over a Pokémon she'd traumatized, and likely scarred for life.

Keeping her swirl of emotions buried under a forced smile, she made her way toward the bookshelf. It took seconds for her to find what she was looking for, pulling them off the shelves and stuffing them into her bag. Maps of each continent, an atlas, blank paper, quills, ink, and whatever else she might find useful in the coming months.

She stepped back from the shelf, the contents looking significantly more bare. She probably wouldn't be needing her parents' history books, or the specific laws and regulations of the Expedition Society. Or the snow globes, as cute as they were. 151 Gardening Tips likely wouldn't help with anything—unless Silvally liked gardening that is.

What did he even do outside of following her around, or learning to read? Draw maybe? She'd need to ask later.

Now that she thought about it, what did she do outside of work? Did fur care count?

…

Bah, hobbies were for people who didn't value their work or career. She enjoyed hunting criminals, rescuing Pokémon, and exploring. It was fun, exciting, and gave her something to look forward to.

…

Though, maybe she should visit Kangaskhan again for a bit of tea, and to talk about things the older woman was up to. She probably had some amazing stories to tell after years of work at the Depot. Arceus knows what crazy things she'd collected in storage.

…

After a second thought, Artemis plucked several older novels from the shelf as well—things she'd enjoyed when she had some downtime. There are only so many missions and criminals one could catch after all, and she would need something to do when Silvally was off doing his learning.

Artemis blinked.

Slowly, she put one book back. Just in case Silvally picked up reading faster than she anticipated. He didn't need to get his talons on that. Did Silvally know about, well, procreation and similar things? Was he old enough to?

… Oh, Arceus, was he still just a child? He didn't act like it, but, technically, he only had two years of memories.

"No. No no no, I'm not dealing with that. Mew can explain that shit," Artemis huffed to herself. That little pink menace could deal with the personal stuff. Who knew how awkward things would get if she did it instead. They'd just made progress and held a natural conversation. She'd not taint it with filth, thank you very much.

~{O}~{O}~{O}~

There was an odd wet feeling against his cheek, and his mouth was completely dry. Idly, Silvally wondered if he'd fallen asleep in a beach or desert dungeon again. He often sought out pools of water to sleep by, so he'd at least have fresh water when he awoke.

His fur wasn't gritty though, despite feeling like he had a mouthful of sand—an unpleasant experience he wouldn't wish upon anyone. He felt… heavy all over, but in a pleasant way. His eyes snapped open, quickly verifying that he was not falling victim to one of those ghosts who preyed on Pokémon in their sleep.

Silvally, for the first time in what had to be months—if not the first time ever—didn't feel that sharp pang of hunger when he woke. There was no annoying spike that rolled around his insides demanding he eat. As a bonus, his legs, shoulders, and hips didn't hurt either. That tea worked wonders—once his service was over, he'd be making trips to the city specifically for that.

With a soft groan he sat up, blinking heavily, clearing the blurriness from his vision. He found that his mouth was dry because his tongue was hanging out the side of his mouth. The fur on his cheek was soaked from drooling in his sleep.

It took entirely too much effort to reel his tongue back in, and Silvally slowly turned to look out the window, his sense of time utterly off. His eyes trailed along the shadows from the window, and he did a little math, unsure if he was accurate.

It was almost noon!

Silvally yawned hard, the sound trailing off into a high-pitched whine. He rolled his shoulders, flexed his talons, and stretched out his legs, working some life back into his limbs.

… That'd been a really good sleep.

Silver eyes roamed across the shared lodging, falling upon the empty bed of his 'partner'. It took a moment for the memories of yesterday to surface—they'd both agreed to take a day off, despite that extending Silvally's sentence slightly. They needed it, and honestly, Silvally was looking forward to having a day to finally acclimatize and think things over.

That, and he needed some space to himself without being constantly watched. Some time to just be himself and exist without worry.

With herculean effort, Silvally pushed himself upright, shaking out the lingering exhaustion. A practiced swipe lifted his bag from the floor, and he shouldered it, the heavy satchel falling into place at his side.

Silvally gingerly pushed the door open, making his way into the guild's living quarters. The halls appeared to be mostly empty, aside from a few Pokémon coming and going from their rooms. Apparently Silvally was no longer some novel sight, and he wasn't spared a second glance. The Pokémon that walked by appeared to give him either a quick nod, or a small scowl, before going on with their day.

That was certainly a different kind of reaction compared to the weeks prior. He didn't mind the passive pleasantries or aggression at all—he welcomed them. They were far better than direct confrontation, or being forced into conversation for the sake of being polite.

They were finally leaving him alone. That was all he ever wanted.

Now that these Pokémon—the ones he once thought of as criminals and cruel—were letting him go about his business on his own… Silvally didn't know what to think. He sort of understood their point of view, at least, from a very narrow lens. He was a big, scary Pokémon who'd been able to take down some of their elite fighters without being captured. That sounded criminal to him.

But, on the other hand, what they did was inexcusable. It was cruel, and they refused to listen to him, so he stopped trying to convince them. There were no second chances, and no mutual peace. He'd just wanted to live life free from conflict and pain, to no avail.

Some small, miniscule, infinitesimal part of him wanted to just refute everything. To hold onto that simple idea that he was right, and that everyone else was wrong for what they they were all abusive monsters incapable of anything other than harm.

But, as Silvally walked down the hallways of the guild, keeping to the right to give other Pokémon room, he couldn't help but notice things. The little smiles they sent to one another—even some to him. Small conversations, pleasantries, or something as simple as sharing a berry. He recalled how the folk in town referred to one another, helped each other, even when it wouldn't benefit them from doing so. Of the innocent smiles of the children and the adults watching over them.

This world was far too complex and nuanced to be something as simple as 'right' or 'wrong'.

… He just really hoped the Pokémon he was warming up to held similar views.

It took Silvally a moment to realize he'd reached his destination, and he stepped through the doorway into the study room Artemis spoke of.

Inside was rather cozy, but not cramped, with a number of short slabs—he was hesitant to call them desks—in rows through the room. Shelves lined the walls, holding a variety of brightly coloured books, clearly made to grab attention. At the front of the room stood what looked to be a chalkboard, and a small stack of books sat before it. An arrow drawn on the chalkboard pointed to the stack, and Silvally stepped forward, glancing at the cover. It depicted a rather childishly drawn classroom, with a pink blob at the front, beside a bird, while a number of various scribbles sat behind the depicted desks.

Two things were immediately apparent. One: Wigglytuff was a horrendous artist. Two: this had to be the learning material for Pokémon from 'the wilderness' that Artemis had mentioned.

Silvally leaned down and gingerly shuffled the top bundle toward the edge, and snatched it up in his jaws, careful to avoid spilling the precarious pile onto the ground. His steps were light, careful to avoid breaking the silence of the room as he moved toward the back corner, positioning himself near a window with his back to the wall.

The book fell from his jaws and onto one of the slabs, falling open, revealing the contents of the 'book'. This wasn't a book, and Silvally felt almost ill calling it such. It was a stack of paper with crude drawings, and rough penmanship. Comparing it to the little story that Mew let him borrow was almost insulting.

Still, it was learning material, and Silvally sorely needed it. He carefully leafed through the pages, finding the start, and paused. He narrowed his eyes, scanning over the page, and sighed. It was almost illegible. Instead, Silvally reached into his bag to pull out Mew's book, and the sheets that Artemis had tried to teach him on. At least these were easier to read.

Silvally adjusted the various pages on his desk, and got to work. He compared the images drawn (poorly) to the odd footprint runes below, his eyes narrowed, taking in the objects he knew and trying to associate them to the bad scribbles, then to the neat writing.

It… wasn't easy.

Not only was the difficulty of learning a new language taxing, but there was something about it all that bothered him on a deep level. It was rather disheartening, looking at a depiction of an apple, and struggling to even read what the lettering for it actually was.

Silvally knew he could read and write, he'd demonstrated it to Artemis, but she didn't seem to recognize it. It was as if something he understood at a fundamental level was just made up, and that irked him.

He took a deep breath in through his nose, closed his eyes, and breathed out, dispelling the rising frustration, replacing it with a cool numbness. He bit back the embarrassment of getting frustrated, the shame of being unable to do something as simple as read, and the emptiness of knowing he'd essentially lost an important skill. None of that mattered, and thus it was cast away into the corner of his mind, buried under all the other layers, pushed down and down until there was nothing left.

Then, he opened his eyes, and scanned over the pages again, his goal at the front of his mind.

Minutes passed by in complete silence, his own breathing nearly inaudible as he studied, taking in the symbols, shapes, accents, and little nuances of this written language. Small details that he missed at first glance, or how the angle of a letter changed the meaning of a word when he read through Mew's book again.

He was so focused on the words in front of him, committing them to memory, that it took several seconds for Silvally to notice the newcomer in the room. The movement of the sky-blue individual drew his attention, the quadruped waddling its way forward on two legs, looking around the room with its front paws held together. Silvally recognized it as one of those small poison-type Pokémon due to the large round ears and the little spikes on its back.

Silvally remained still, watching the small Pokémon. It glanced around the room, eyes drawn to the various bright colours of the books on the shelves, and eventually looked to the front of the room. Apparently, the drawn arrow worked, because the Nidorina made her way forward and picked up one of the books in her paws, and turned, looking at the pages in her paws as she wandered toward the back of the room.

Silvally's spot seemed to be the popular one in the room, as the Nidorina didn't even look up as she made her way toward him. Silvally started to grow uncomfortable as she drew closer, not wanting to reenact the poisoning of yesterday. Thankfully, he wouldn't even have to act, as her red eyes flicked up, locking onto his silver ones.

"O-oh! I'm so sorry, I didn't see- I didn't mean to interrupt!" She raised the booklet in her paws and gestured to it, taking a few steps back. "I, um, I think I'm in the wrong room! S-sorry! I was just- I'm just trying to-"

"Read?" Silvally asked, tilting his head. A shaky nod from the Nidorina was the only response. "Me too," he admitted.

"Oh, so this is the right spot. Sorry!" The Nidorina let out a small laugh, clutching the papers to her chest. "Um, I'm new to all this. I don't, uh, know if this is right. I just joined a team as an extra member to explore outside my home. I don't think they'll actually need my help with anything, though..."

Silvally didn't really have anything to add to that. So, he didn't. He tilted his head and blinked, regarding the Nidorina with a neutral expression. She appeared to wither under his gaze, the small Pokémon shrinking in on herself, ears falling flat, somewhat hiding behind the stack of papers in her grip.

"Uh, I'll be over here… Sorry for, uh- sorry." The timid Pokémon stepped backward, moving herself to the other side of the room. She positioned herself opposite Silvally, close to the door, giving him a glance over the shoulder before picking a seat.

Just like that, it was silent again. Nothing but quiet breathing and the shuffling of pages sounded out in the room, allowing Silvally's thoughts to fall to the work in front of him again. Letters and numbers and symbols all sprawled across the paper before him, mixing into a dizzying slurry of information.

Silvally shoved Wigglytuff's 'helpful' material to the side and grabbed Mew's book again, flipping it to the first page. Even if he couldn't tell what every single word meant on its own, he could figure out most of them given context, and with the extra information around him, he was more than certain he could figure it out.

The sad, frustrated sigh from the Nidorina ahead of him let him know she wasn't nearly as excited over the prospect. The muttered curses and struggles to pronounce words told him even more.

At least he had a full vocabulary to work with.

~{O}~{O}~{O}~

"Are you sure it's okay if I- we visit tonight? We don't want to be a bother." Artemis glanced up at the elderly Kangaskhan, tilting her head. She'd just come from her home, and was walking by when she spotted the elderly Pokémon at the Depot. She figured it was about time she tried to socialize a little bit, at least with the older Pokémon. The lack of things Artemis did outside of just working was bothering her. That, and it allowed Silvally some time with a Pokémon that was genuinely polite. There was also-

"Of course, Artemis, dear," Kangaskhan smiled, looking at her with those foggy eyes. "When you and Silvally come back to plan, don't forget the bag I made for him."

Artemis winced. "Right, sorry, we we've been a little, uh, busy with everything." She let out a small laugh, her tails waving uncertainly behind her. 'Busy' was certainly a way to put massive traumatic revelations, poisoning, exhaustion, late nights, and the immense amount of stress the two were under. "Give me ten minutes and we'll be back to come see you."

"I'll go find it for you, dear." Kangaskhan smiled and stood a little straighter. "I'll see you soon."

A shift in the shadows of the Depot drew Artemis's gaze, years of reflexes and hunting for criminals snapping her eyes to the source. There was a glint of light from an eye, the end of a thick tail, and a little shift of the curtains separating the front of the Depot from the entrance to the back.

It was Junior, Mrs. K's son. Artemis couldn't be sure, but it seemed like he'd been glaring at her. The unexpected look caught her off-guard, the hostility completely unexpected. Artemis blinked, but Junior was gone again, the only thing left was the bottom of the curtain fluttering. It could have been the breeze, but Artemis was certain she'd seen Junior lurking in the shadows.

"Oh, right! See you soon!" Artemis finally replied. Kangaskhan had already started to descend the steps from her little platform, hobbling her way to the back of the building.

…

Artemis shook her head, blinking several times, just to make sure she hadn't been seeing things. She and Junior usually got along well—in the way that a professional business employee and customer got along, that is—and there were never issues. Occasionally, he'd even congratulate her on catching another criminal, or pulling off a rescue.

Maybe she was just imagining things. After all, she'd been up before Silvally, so it was completely possible lack of sleep was getting to her. And she thought she'd been doing well too.

… Maybe a trip to the café for some coffee was in order. Now that the port was fixed, the Elixir of Arceus could flow once more.

The Ninetales pushed herself to all fours, stepping away from the Depot, and angled herself toward the Guild once more. The weight of books and other personal items from her home bounced against her side with each step, things she didn't necessarily need, but figured would make her life easier. Things such as that really expensive brush set the entrepreneurial Muk in a top hat gifted her and Silvally, as well as the two passes—she still had no idea what they really applied to.

As Artemis made her way through Treasure Town, she noticed something off about the general atmosphere. It was the odd, slightly sour aroma that lingered on the breeze, rolling up from the shore and lower areas of the town. The shadows seemed to grow longer, and feel darker than normal. There was nothing sinister about it all, just a general feeling that seemed to emanate from some types of Pokémon.

The citizens around town seemed they were just a little more quiet than usual, and a tad quicker getting from place to place. Nothing like fear being displayed—it seemed subconscious, just a natural part of Pokémon telling them to get going just a bit quicker to avoid trouble.

Artemis kept her head on a swivel, not really worried, more so curious about who was causing the feeling. Either an extremely strong Pokémon was nearby, someone who, even when suppressing their abilities and power, could still cause others to feel them. That, or there was someone extremely incompetent and were unable to control their abilities… or they were doing it to be an asshole. She had a feeling it was the latter—the lack of terrified screams was a good indicator of that.

Artemis glanced to her left upon reaching the crossroads, gazing up the long staircase to the guild. It wasn't like she was going to be away for very long, and if things happened there were still dozens of Pokémon in the area who were more than capable of handling something. Maybe not to the extent she could, but still. She'd probably be fine to go get Silvally and then come back to plan things out properly.

After all, they didn't want a repeat of yesterday…

Artemis shuddered, the phantom sensation of her fur plastered down dragged to the front of her mind. She suppressed a gag, and winced, shaking her head as if physically dislodging the memory.

With haste—trying to keep herself distracted to avoid the nightmarish memories—Artemis turned and bounded her way up the stairs. Her quick steps startled a trio of Pokémon ascending the stairs, causing one to topple back into another, sending the three in different directions as they fell down several steps.

"Sorry!" Artemis called over her shoulder, glancing just to make sure they were okay, before continuing her quick jaunt through the guild. She kept up her momentum and jumped down the stairs, bounding off the wall and dropping down to the second floor with a thump.

Right beside Chatot.

The poor Pokémon let out a startled 'Squawk!' and launched himself toward the ceiling, the force of his wings flapping sending him in a careening motion across the room. Artemis wasn't even looking as a loud crash sounded out, large wood panels falling to the ground. No, she was already on her way down to the next floor, albeit slightly slower, trotting her way down the stairs.

The feeling down in the lower floor of the guild was light and airy, far from that uncomfortable sensation that floated on the wind in Treasure Town. So, it likely wasn't a guild Pokémon doing it. Her gaze flicked down the hallway, toward the barracks, and her heart skipped a beat.

Their door was open.

The first thought that sprang to Artemis's mind was that the criminal under her supervision had escaped, doing who knows what to innocent Pokemon. The tidal wave of shame nearly swept her off her paws, and she winced, another concerning thought replacing the unintentional slight.

Silvally was out on his own, with his rather lackluster social skills, and who knows how many enemies within the guild. Not that he couldn't handle himself—he could take her head on for Arceus' sake. It was just that, should he need help, it didn't seem like many Pokémon would willingly come to his aid. Not yet, in any case.

Artemis blinked, and shook her head, clearing out the thoughts. Today was a calm day off. Nothing was going to go wrong. Silvally usually behaved, and was polite, there wasn't much that would realistically happen.

When Artemis passed by the Guildmaster's open door, she glanced in, finding Wigglytuff in one of his thousand-yard-stare-naps, openly drooling. Classic Guildmaster.

Resisting the urge to run down the halls—she'd knocked over her fair share of Pokémon in her time as an apprentice—Artemis trotted toward her unwillingly shared room. She nosed open the door open further, in the event Silvally was still asleep.

He was gone.

Resisting the urge to find him, Artemis stepped into the room and dropped her Treasure Bag to the floor, using a paw to pop it open. A brief flare of psychic energy caused pink to glow from the inside of the bag, various writing materials, measurement tools, parchment, books, and even that lovely brush kit, all floated out of the bag, settling themselves on the floor in Artemis's corner. She shuffled them around with her paws, trying to stack them the best she could.

A little glimmer of light caught Artemis's attention, sunlight from the window reflecting on something inside of her Treasure Bag. She pulled it out and set it on the floor, eyeing the metallic cylinder, her tails swishing uncertainly behind her.

It was Silvally's file. That little tube contained every single encounter with an exploration team. All things of significant note that led to where they were today. The known fears, skills, and other dangerous information should it fall into the wrong hands.

Honestly, she should return it to the station. She'd found out what she needed to, and didn't have any more use for the thing.

But…

Wasn't it her responsibility to learn more? To figure out the little details written between the lines? Understand what made the former-criminal tick and try to adapt to what was written down? That sounded like the responsible thing to do… right?

Artemis tried to justify it all. No, it wasn't the guilt that gnawed at her insides when she looked at it that encouraged her to hang onto it. It definitely wasn't the intense desire to look through the part she played in all of it, and feed the little hole in her chest that told her what a failure she really was.

Artemis pressed the metal cylinder back into the bag, hiding it beneath some berries just to keep that little thing out of sight for a while longer. There wasn't really any risk with having it. It's not like she was going to lose it, or Silvally was going to suddenly progress in reading and writing too fast. She would just keep it for a little longer, that's all.

With her treasure bag empty of all the items she brought from home, she was more-or-less ready to return to the Depot and plan out their adventuring inventory. With Silvally, of course.

Her tails snagged the door on the way out, pulling the wood barrier shut with a solid thump. She wasn't worried about people going through her things—there was a sort of understanding between members of the guild, exploration teams, and the like. You don't mess with one another's personal belongings. With how insane the world was, keepsakes and small personal items were almost sacred—no one could tell what belonged to a lost loved one, family, friend, or other.

That, and the Expedition Society would likely strip your explorer rank and license. They were rather strict… when Ampharos didn't go around making or breaking rules wherever he saw fit, that is. Rules and regulations crumbled around him and Wigglytuff, as if they were exempt from reality.

A little smile graced her face as she turned down the hallway, recalling the antics of the Guildmaster. Artemis's paws tapped along the ground, trotting her way down the halls. She had a particular destination in mind to check first, considering she had mentioned it last night.

Though, just to be sure she wasn't missing anything, she ducked her head into the bath hall. There was a significant lack of underweight and visually unsettling chimeras, so she moved on with her search. She kept her ears perked, listening for any potential disturbances or odd noises.

But the guild was silent. Well, as quiet as Wigglytuff's Guild could get anyway. A little less screaming, shouting, and fewer explosions than normal.

Artemis nodded to several groups of Pokémon as she passed, receiving little greetings or smiles in return. She had no idea who half these Pokémon were, but they all knew who she was. It was an odd discrepancy she'd long grown used to.

Eventually, the room Artemis had told Silvally about loomed before her, the door wide open. It didn't sound like there was any noticeable commotion. In fact, the only thing Artemis could hear was a quiet voice struggling along.

Once again, Artemis's heart skipped a beat. Silvally couldn't have run off, could he? He wouldn't, not after everything and all the progress he'd made. She walked into the room with a little more speed than necessary, and took in the area—her concerns immediately withered away.

Silvally was laying down behind a table near the window, and on the other side was a small Nidorina, the Pokémon reading from a book between them. Silvally would occasionally interrupt and say something, pointing at the book, before allowing her to continue.

Artemis could feel her heart rate dropping. First, she'd been worried about letting him out of her sight for fear he'd hurt someone. Then it was concern over him being hurt, or ganged up on by others he'd run into over the years.

… Or that he'd hurt them too.

She approached the pair slowly, her paws silent on the ground. She must have been at a bad angle, because Silvally was either too engrossed in reading and correcting the Nidorina, or she was in some blind spot of his.

When Silvally finally noticed her, he froze. His eyes went wide, and his whole body tensed, muscles strained beneath wiry fur. For just a split second he looked like the Outlaw Artemis had been hunting for months—a powerful criminal who fought with brutal strength and precise strategy to dismantle exploration teams. Someone cunning, fast, and no doubt deadly if he so desired to be.

Then, he blinked.

It was as if it had never even happened. Laying there was just… Silvally. The quiet, polite individual who seemed like he was slotting himself into his role quite nicely. The Pokémon who got up to watch the sunrise, and refused to leave behind the massive slab of metal that had encased his head for Arceus knows how long, because that was all he had of his past.

"Sorry, I, um, didn't mean to startle you," Artemis said.

This caused the Nidorina to jump hard, the small Pokémon having been focused on sounding out a particularly difficult word. Poison quills shot outward, one whizzing by Artemis's ear and embedding itself in the chalkboard at the front of the room. The book she'd been reading flew into the air, landing on her face with a thwap of paper.

"… Or you," Artemis added. She took a step back and sat down, looking at the two Pokémon. The poor Nidorina had its thorns fully extended, and her fur was on end, looking more like a Quillfish than anything.

"Oh, s-sorry! I didn't notice you! I was just- we were reading and I was having trouble with the big words and I've never seen these before but he was helping me pronounce them and we just-"

"It's okay," Artemis interrupted the small teal Pokémon, who was desperately trying to smooth down her fur. "Nothing to worry about, accidents happen. Was the stuff in here helpful?" After she received a nod, Artemis turned her attention to Silvally. "We should go plan out our kits for other jobs. I don't know about you, but I don't want to repeat yesterday."

Silvally's eye twitched at the brief reminder, and he type-shifted for just a moment, his feathers, eyes and tail becoming a sickly purple colour. It was gone seconds later, replaced with the calm, cool, neutral expression he always wore.

"Nice to meet you," Silvally said to Nidorina. The large chimera Pokémon climbed to his feet, stuffing various papers and a couple books in his bag, tucking them away. He shuffled his way out from behind the desk, and Artemis stepped back to give him room. All he gave her was a slight nod to indicate he was ready.

"W-wait!" the Nidorina protested. She pushed herself upright and turned to Silvally, clasping her paws together. "Thank you. You helped a lot." She turned her attention to Artemis—with no noticeable reaction, Artemis noted—then back to Silvally. "I… I think if all explorers are this nice, I don't need to worry."

Out of the corner of her eye, Artemis caught Silvally's talons clenching, deep grooves carved into the packed dirt and rock. He took a small breath, and relaxed, shifting his footing to cover up the damage.

"You'll be fine." Silvally spoke. Whether it was to himself, or to the Nidorina, Artemis didn't know. "Good luck." He gave Nidorina a dip of his head, and then turned to face Artemis, his eyes focusing somewhere behind her.

As Artemis stepped back, leading Silvally toward the exit, she couldn't help a soft smile from forming. The Nidorina was waving to them—albeit in a shy manner. Artemis raised a paw and waved back, before turning, slipping through the doorway. The heavy, familiar thuds of Silvally's steps sounded behind her.

"Who was that?" Artemis asked after several seconds. She glanced over her shoulder, idly noticing Silvally was almost within range of her tails. "She seems nice. I haven't seen her around."

Probably because you never bothered to look before. You never cared about who else was around, as long as they didn't get in your way.

Artemis winced.

"I don't know," Silvally said.

"Oh."

…

"She's from the wilds," Silvally clarified, breaking the momentary silence. "Needed help learning. It's difficult."

"Oh, I see. That's really nice of you." Artemis faced forward again, weaving her way past several Pokémon in the guild halls. As she approached their room, another thought crossed her mind. "How did you know she was from, uh, outside the cities? Did she tell you, or…?"

"Both," Silvally replied. At Artemis's confused glance, he continued. "She said. There were signs: nervous indoors; jumpy; tense around strangers-" Silvally's voice caught in his throat, and he grimaced. An annoyed huff escaped him, and he rubbed at his throat with a low growl. "Illiterate," Silvally bit out.

Artemis nodded. Silvally was more observant than she gave him credit for. She knew he kept an eye on everything in a room, much like criminals she'd dealt with in the past. But, he was able to identify key behaviours in a complete stranger in an hour at most.

Her tails swished and swayed with agitation as she nosed her way into their room. If he could read that well into someone brand new… What did he see in her? Did she dare ask? Sure, they had a natural conversation last night, and things weren't as tense anymore. But, asking someone she'd hunted what his opinion of her was—what her traits and flaws and features were…

Bad idea.

The bed rustled beneath her as she sat, and Artemis tugged her Treasure Bag off. It fell to the ground between their beds, opening up and spilling its contents onto the grass below. Everything but the metal tube that held Silvally's records—she kept that locked in place with a little psychic energy.

"Let's figure out what we need." Artemis looked up at Silvally, who'd seated himself on his bed, across from her.

A small nod was all the response she got. Silvally grabbed his Treasure Bag and gingerly pulled Mew's book, several sheets of paper, and another book from his bag. He upended the satchel and allowed the contents to spill out, several berries, an orb, a couple seeds, and-

THUD!

His helmet.

Artemis's gaze settled on the object for several seconds, taking in the sharp edges, the brownish stains of dried blood, odd gems, and some sort of writing at the base of the helmet. She glanced up at Silvally, their eyes meeting for what felt like entirely too long. Artemis could already feel it, the suggestion on her lips, ready to ask him to leave the helmet behind—to be practical and make room for more important things.

Important to who, though? Her? Him?

She said nothing.

Instead, she worked with him to take inventory of what they needed. There were obvious things, like rope, or berries for curing poison, healing burns, or treating frostbite. Heal Seeds took care of those to an extent, but nothing beat the real deal—they did save space though.

Artemis did notice that Silvally went through a lot of food when they were on their jobs. That would be something else she'd need to take into consideration. At least now she knew roughly what she'd need from the Depot, and what she might need to purchase as well.

Honestly, Artemis felt a little silly she hadn't done this earlier—she was used to needing the bare minimum going out on her own. She was learning, however. Artemis was determined to avoid making the same mistakes.

Neither of them wanted to repeat yesterday's rather horrific experience.

~{O}~{O}~{O}~

Silvally had to physically resist his hackles rising. There was something nearby that was unsettling to him, but oh-so-familiar. He could almost visualize what was causing the feeling, or at least what had happened in the past—it was on the tip of his tongue, and the inability to make the connection annoyed him.

It was something in the air; causing the shadows to flicker and dance in the corner of his eyes. A scent on the wind that lingered and just caused everything to feel wrong. He knew he wasn't alone—any Pokémon who wasn't an explorer seemed to be moving a little faster place-to-place. No one was panicking though.

He could tell Artemis was much the same—the little glances, ear twitches, or flicks of her tails, it told him she was aware too. At least he knew he wasn't being paranoid, and there was something actively here.

Silvally kept his head held high, subtly scanning his surroundings as he and Artemis walked through Treasure Town. Despite the wrongness in the air, it didn't make the walk any less pleasant. The Pokémon around town seemed used to him. There weren't many glares now, or hushed whispers. More often than not he was greeted or given a wave. The worst of it was muttering or simply ignoring him. Being around this many Pokémon still felt odd, like any one of them could just attack him at any time.

But, they didn't, and he greatly appreciated it.

The Depot quickly came into view, just past the market square. The area was relatively silent, seeing as it was both a school day and early afternoon. Everyone would either be in school, working, exploring, or traveling. Save a few stray Pokémon, Artemis and Silvally were relatively alone here. Several dock workers stepped off the freight elevator near the cliffside, hauling materials to the stands beneath the array of tents and fabrics in the market. The vendors who weren't busy resupplying their inventory were talking with one another, chatting near the center of the market. Silvally was pretty sure he saw Leafeon in the mix, but it was hard to tell without getting closer.

"Good afternoon, Junior," Artemis said, stepping up to the Depot stand. "Is your mom in the back right now?"

…

There was no response from the younger Kangaskhan. He seemed preoccupied, shuffling through a stack of papers, shaking his head every so often. Artemis sat up a little higher and looked over the lip of the Depot stand, glancing into the back of the building.

"Pieces of shit…" Junior mumbled under his breath. He shuffled through a few more papers, and his eyes flicked to Silvally for a moment, his half-scowl deepening. Finally, he lowered the papers, looking down at Artemis with what almost looked like a sneer. "Oh, didn't see you there."

"Right…" Artemis didn't sound like she believed him. "Uh, is Mrs. K around? If she's still in the back looking, we can talk with her later."

"You should leave, she'll be looking for a while." Junior's lip twitched, and he lifted up his papers again, rifling through them. He continued looking through the paper for several long seconds, glancing over them at Artemis, raising an eyebrow, as if surprised they were still there.

Silvally merely sat back and watched the exchange take place, tilting his head to the side.

"Um, okay. I'd still like to get things from my storage." Artemis's tails twitched with irritation, thudding against the ground. "I need a couple of Pecha Berries, a Warp Seed, two Heal-"

"Let me stop you right there," Junior interrupted. "I'm not helping either of you. You should go." He lowered the stack of papers, holding them at his side. There were several faces clearly visible on the pages, as well as what looked like a large sum of money beneath them.

Wanted posters.

Silvally took a half-step back, the temperature around Artemis rising several times over. Little wisps of steam rolled from her fur, and Silvally decided he wanted no part in any of that.

"I'm sorry, what?" Artemis stood and glared up at Junior, the Kangaskhan quickly averting his gaze. "Did I do something to you that I'm not aware of?"

"It's what you're not doing, Artemis, and it's pissing a lot of Pokémon off," Junior said smugly. He raised the stack of paper and shook it at her, several sheets fluttering to the ground between the two. "There're twelve more active criminals than there were two weeks ago. It's been going up for the last two months. There's more Pokémon in the hospital than normal, and the hospital needs supplies more often."

"I- what!?" Artemis blinked and shook her head, her claws sinking into the ground below. "How the fuck is any of that my fault?" Her tails rippled in an aggravated motion, stirring up the grass below.

"Because you've been slacking. While you're here pretending to 'help', real explorers are out there risking their lives to keep regular folk safe. Locking up criminals like they should be." The younger Kangaskhan finally turned to glare at Silvally, turning the pages in his grip to let Silvally's old wanted poster show. "Pokémon don't change. Believe them when they show you who they really are."

Silvally didn't rise to the bait. There was something about the odd aggression that just… didn't bother him. It felt like Junior was trying to get a rise out of him—to say something that would make Silvally snap and prove the biased Pokémon right. Of course, Silvally merely blinked, and other than a little twinge of annoyance, he didn't react. He was used to explorers hunting him down and trying to say things to throw him off.

Artemis wasn't quite so calm about it…

The amount of heat that rolled off the Ninetales caused Silvally to flinch, the air around her wavering with the intensity. The grass immediately withered, turning a sickly yellow, brown, then black, the moisture boiled away, leaving a slowly growing sphere of dead vegetation around Artemis.

Silvally took a hesitant step back, his fur tingling uncomfortably. An angry Artemis he was starting to be able to handle—it didn't take much to really make her upset, and the bursts didn't tend to last. He could handle a little bit of heat and fire—it was natural, and forest fires happened all the time.

Artemis furious while heat licked at his form? He could already feel the phantom pain of fire eating at his fur, burns bubbling over his exposed skin while he tried desperately to avoid the attacks. Trying to type-change to something else in an effort to ease the pain, even slightly.

He could see Artemis's mouth moving, her red eyes locked onto Junior, who, for just a moment, looked hesitant. There were clearly words being spoken. Angry shouts and gestures, expressions of contempt, tails thrashing about.

Silvally couldn't hear any of it over the ringing in his ears; the sound of his heart trying to beat out of his chest. He tried to take a breath, going through the motions of calming himself. All he took in was warm air, humid and smoky. All associated with memories of fire and pain and agony. Struggling to escape the ruthless thing chasing him down, night and day, learning, adapting, coming closer to ending him with every encounter. Those furious red eyes glowed in the darkness of the dungeon, peering at him no matter where he went, always looking for the chance to-

THUD!

A powerful thump caused the ground to shake—normally an imperceptible thing, but to Silvally's panicked state, it felt the same. His eyes snapped to the left, passed Artemis and Junior, and settled on a group of Pokémon stepping off of the freight elevator that led up from the docks. Multiple well-built Pokémon stepped off, carrying large crates overflowing with berries, or sealed containers in tall stacks. It seemed that the elevator lurching to a halt was what caused the sudden impact through the ground.

Silvally took the distraction for what it was, and staggered toward it. He was far enough from Artemis and the yelling-match that he could take a few greedy gulps of air, doing his best to maintain composure. It wouldn't do well to have a former criminal in a panicked state making his way toward heavy equipment and the docks, now would it? He was more than certain he'd get in trouble for even just using the elevator without someone accompanying him.

Standing at the edge of the lift, Silvally watched the platform steadily descend. The sound of running water grew louder, as did the creaking and groaning of wood under pressure. Silvally tried to calm his beating heart, and took slow, deep breaths, caught off guard by the sudden panic. He focused on looking at the massive wooden gears turning as the elevator moved instead, following them down to a flow of water spinning one of them, the motion going through various stages for more torque. A complicated system all to raise and lower things.

Silvally laid himself down at the ledge of the sharp drop, the cool grass against his belly helping to counter the phantom sensation of burning alive. His talons dangled over the edge, and he merely watched the proceedings below, the Pokémon on the docks already loading up the elevator for another shipment to the market.

Minutes passed like this, occasionally tucking his talons up to avoid having them crushed between stone and wood. His mind quit its frantic rush of emotions and memories, and his heart stopped trying to crawl its way out of his throat. The awful burning sensation along his body eased, and all he was left with was the cool touch of grass against him. Idly, he noticed the shouting off to the side had stopped, and the few Pokémon who'd gathered to watch had dispersed.

There appeared to be a lull in the amount of material coming up from the cargo ships, and in the distance Silvally could see various boats leaving port, and other ones starting to appear on the horizon. It was in this quiet that his ears twitched, and he caught the faint sound of paws ghosting through the grass. He knew that particular sound by heart, through no intention of his own.

"I didn't realize you left," Artemis said. "We, uh, won't be getting anything from storage until Miss K. is back… Fuckin' asshole." She muttered several choice words under her breath. "I can't believe he- I've done so much for this stupid place. The fucking nerve-" Artemis stopped and took a breath, and let out a long, breathy sigh. "Whatever. Let's just go to the market, it's better than waiting around and watching Junior act all smug."

A nod was Silvally's only response. He stood to face Artemis, the two looking at one another across that several step distance that was permanently placed between them. Artemis tilted her head and opened her mouth to say something, only to pause, and turn around without a word, leading the way into the market.

Silvally followed along, silent as always.

"Oh, right. Kangaskhan invited us over this evening for tea. She said we're both welcome, but if you don't wanna go, that's okay." Artemis glanced over her shoulder, addressing him. "I know you're not big on talking, and we're going to the café tomorrow anyway, so…" She let out a little awkward laugh, and her ears half-folded.

Silvally just tilted his head, and nodded. He liked the older Pokémon, and listening to her stories might give him more information that could be useful in the future. Besides, if her son didn't like him, that was all the more reason to just visit her instead.

He wasn't sure why, but there was a tiny, infinitesimal part of Silvally that wanted to prove him wrong. It was like an itch, and though he had no problem ignoring it… Something, for some reason, encouraged him to scratch it—to fix the issue.

After all, it was a practicality thing. Less waiting and fewer conflicts. That meant more efficiency and fewer dangers…

Right?

~{O}~{O}~{O}~

Emerald drummed her claws on the desk, the repetitive tapping giving her something to focus on. She was exhausted—her disaster sense had gone off in the middle of the night, interrupting her sleep. It'd been slightly more active since Silvally came to town to work off his community service sentence, but most explorer-type Pokémon had that. There was usually an air of danger about them, meaning they were going to encounter something mildly dangerous at some point, or be involved in a disaster in the far future.

This was different. Last night, it was like something was clawing at it, imminent danger, something on the cusp of happening. A disaster was mere moments away, and would have happened any second.

But… It was silent.

She'd woken up Lucario in his sleep, and paced in front of the house for nearly an hour, keeping an eye out for trouble, before he finally dragged her back inside to go back to bed. Luckily his warm embrace was somewhat soothing, as was the reassurance that he'd sensed nothing wrong with his Aura.

Yet, the feeling lingered. It wasn't nearly as intense, but it was enough to keep Emerald on edge, analyzing each Pokémon who stepped into the library with scrutiny.

But again, there was nothing wrong. Either she was losing her mind…

Or something was avoiding her detection.

The Absol's head jerked upward once the door opened, the late afternoon sunlight glinting off the glass in the door and shining over her eyes. She blinked the stars from her vision, and she couldn't help the little flutter of her heart when she saw Lucario stepping into the building. Emerald remained as professional as she could when all that muscled fatherly figure stepped toward her, and she definitely didn't drool over the way the evening light glinted off his fur.

That would be unprofessional. She also definitely didn't turn red, no matter what Aurum would claim later. That little fiend was always just trying to say silly things to embarrass her, and she was definitely not smitten and 'making kissy faces' with his father.

"Hi Emer- oop!" Aurum stopped his run into the building, and slapped a paw over his mouth, his ears folding back sheepishly. "Hi Emerald," he whisper-yelled, padding up to the counter. The Riolu placed his paws on the edge of the desk and peered up at her, his gold-streaked tail swishing happily.

"Hello, Aurum." Emerald flashed him a smile, and reached forward, ruffling up his head fur, much to the child's chagrin. "How was school today?"

"It was good!" He seemed to have already forgotten about being quiet. "We did a lot of math today—it was hard. But, I still did it! I was the first one done in my class." Aurum hopped away from the desk and smiled proudly up at Emerald, his tail wagging faster.

"Aurum did well today," Lucario said, stepping closer and planting a paw on Aurum's head, further ruffling up his noggin. "I need to get some extra practice books for some of the students, and Aurum is out of things to read… Again."

"You raised a clever little book-worm," Emerald laughed.

"You're a bad influence," Lucario shot back with a smile.

Once again, Emerald didn't turn red, and she definitely didn't focus on Lucario's steely red eyes, or the white toothy smile on his face. There was no way her tail twitched against her desk when he leaned forward to rest his elbow on her desk, causing his arm to flex just right. That'd be silly.

The door to the library opened again, the light off the glass flashing across her eyes, blinding Emerald. Her danger sense shot upward, and she whipped her head around, her horn telling her that something was coming. The silhouette in the doorway was large, on all fours, and tall. For just a second her heart skipped a beat, and Emerald wondered if he had found her.

But then the light cleared from her eyes, and she was met with a sight she was starting to get used to. Artemis padded into the library, with the heavy thump-thump of Silvally's footsteps following behind her. They maintained their normal distance, and once again Emerald was wondering just what was going on between those two. A former criminal and a top-ranked hunter/explorer working together? If only she could have been so lucky.

"Good evening, Emerald, Lucario, Aurum." Artemis came to a stop just behind the others, and they stepped to the side, with Silvally coming in around the edge to form a half-circle.

Emerald couldn't get over how quiet Silvally was for his size, relatively speaking. He towered over even Lucario, and Emerald would be more than terrified if she didn't know what a sweetheart the 'criminal' was. He was quiet, polite, and Aurum seemed to like him, so Emerald ignored the little spike of warning her horn gave. She didn't think he would be capable of harming someone—no one who didn't deserve it at least.

"Hi Artemis! Hi Silvally!" Aurum's eyes flashed blue for just a moment, and he jogged forward, immediately latching onto Artemis's foreleg in a sudden hug. "You needed a hug," he stated.

Emerald decided then and there that even if things didn't work out with Lucario, she was going to take care of that child. That was that. Aurum was too sweet, and she was going to pamper the shit out of that wholesome little guy.

Aurum disengaged himself from Artemis and turned to face the behemoth that was Silvally, looking up at him with a fearless smile. Instead of running forward though, he walked toward Silvally, watching for… something. Evidently, he didn't find anything, because Aurum continued, and without a word, wrapped himself around Silvally's foreleg as well, clinging to it like a stubborn Mankey.

Emerald could see how Silvally stiffened at the contact, his eyes widening, and his muscles tensing ever-so-slightly. Slowly, he raised a talon, and set it on Aurum's head, gently patting the child.

"You needed a hug too," Aurum stated, his tail swishing contently. He looked up at Silvally, and narrowed his eyes. "You're really big. I bet you could carry all my friends."

Artemis seemed stunned at the scene playing out in front of her. Silvally didn't seem that much more able to respond, too busy awkwardly half-hugging the child. Lucario's palm met his face with a smack that echoed through the library.

"Aurum, we talked about this. You can't just aura-sense and try to fix everything. At least ask first."

The Riolu didn't seem to be paying much attention, instead holding tighter to Silvally's foreleg, giggling wildly as the massive Pokémon raised his talon up, effortlessly moving Aurum with it. The child was hanging upside down, parallel to the floor, laughing fearlessly as Silvally slowly moved his leg about, unintentionally swinging the child side to side.

"What can I help you with?" Emerald asked in an attempt to salvage the conversation. It seemed to work, because Silvally's eyes snapped to focus on her, and Artemis shook herself out of the stunned silence she was in.

"Oh, right. We're going out of town for a couple days—Leafeon needs an escort. I was wondering if you had any… easier books a little on the longer side," Artemis explained. "I've got my own reading for the trip, and we're hoping to find something for him to read." She tilted her head toward Silvally. "Nothing too complicated, because he's still, uh, sorting things out, but enough to try and progress a little."

Emerald had all of two seconds to take in Artemis's words, before she was interrupted.

"Oh! You're looking for stories?" Aurum performed a rather acrobatic backflip off of Silvally's leg, and landed with his arms out. "I know a bunch of stories I liked when I was little!"

"You're still little, Aurum." Lucario's blunt statement caused the Riolu to turn around and frown up at his dad.

"When I was littler," Aurum corrected. Without waiting for a response or even permission from Lucario and Emerald—or consent from Silvally—he grabbed at Silvally's talon and started trying to drag him forward. He managed to get about two steps before his walking became ineffective, his paws sliding on the wooden floor while Silvally remained seated.

Silvally just sat there for several seconds, blinking in confusion at the child, before turning to face the rest of the group. Artemis rolled her eyes and nodded, Lucario shook his head and smiled, and Emerald shooed him with a wave of her paw, encouraging him to follow the excitable youth.

"Come on, I'll show you some of my favourites," Aurum said, still walking in place, his paws sliding ineffectively across the floor.

Hesitantly, Silvally stood up, and took a step forward, allowing Aurum three more steps himself. Another glance over Silvally's shoulder was still met with approval, and the large Pokémon relented, allowing Aurum to lead him into the depths of the library, between rows of books that Emerald scarcely believed he would fit in.

As Emerald talked a little bit with Lucario and Artemis, she did her best to hide her discomfort. While the sense of disaster that hung around Silvally like an aura seemed to fade, the imminent danger didn't seem to disperse at all. It seemed to be growing slowly, bit by bit, but Emerald did her best to keep from showing it.

She probably just had a nightmare she couldn't remember, and the lack of sleep was messing with her head. That was the most likely answer. It's not like anything bad could really happen in Treasure Town—not with all the explorers that swarmed the place like Combee at the first sign of trouble.

…

Still, maybe it was best she stayed with Lucario and Aurum for the night again. She didn't know what it was, or why, but she had the feeling that going home on her own wasn't the best idea. As if something bad was going to happen if she did. Not something disastrous for the town, or the people, but… Something that could lead to it.

Something horrible, hinging on her decision. If only she knew what it was.

Chapter Text

Artemis, alone again, rapped on the side door of the Depot with an ice-covered tail. There was no response for a short time, so she knocked again, a little louder. This time, the muffled voice of the elderly Kangaskhan sounded out, likely hobbling her way toward the door.

So, Artemis waited. Her tails twitched on the gravel path, thumping one after another. Despite there not being anything wrong, her senses were still on high alert. That feeling of something lurking just around the corner had her on edge. She did her best to counter it, casting her gaze toward the blues, oranges, and purples of the sunset—focusing on the warm breeze rolling off the ocean. The peaceful sounds of Pokémon finishing up their days, heading home, of civilization still going. It helped.

The side door to the depot swung inward, revealing a rather grumpy looking Kangaskhan. Her expression immediately brightened, cloudy eyes closed in a beaming smile.

“Artemis! You came just in time, there’s a pot of tea ready.” Kangaskhan glanced to the side, searching. “Is Silvally with you?”

“Hey, Miss K,” Artemis replied. “No, he’s been, uh, forcibly volunteered by Lucario’s kid to hang out at the beach.” She laughed, recalling just how excited Aurum was to drag Silvally along. Silvally had been doing his best to clutch several new books in his talons and jaws, while trying not to fall behind Aurum and yank the kid off his feet.

“Oh, that boy is going to grow up a menace.” Kangaskhan stepped back, encouraging Artemis inside. “Every day I thank Arceus he isn’t in the guild. He might end up just as bad as you!”

Artemis scoffed, stepping past the older Pokémon. “I wasn’t that bad. There were only a couple-”

“Remember the fire?” Kangaskhan asked.

“... In the Market?” Artemis asked sheepishly.

“The hospital.”

“Wh- look! That one wasn’t my fault, I-”

“How about the ice wall blocking the road out of Treasure Town?” Kangaskhan flashed Artemis a grin.

“Okay, Team Dusk were trying to take my jobs! I just wanted to stop them from-”

“How about the iceberg in the harbour?” Kangaskhan interrupted.

“...” Artemis’s cheeks darkened, and her ears folded back.

“Or the time you set Apple Woods on fire because the Guildmaster scolded you?”

“You made that one up,” Artemis protested.

“Oh? Is that right?” Kangaskhan leaned in, a smirk on her face.

“... It was only a grove of Perfect Apple trees,” Artemis grumbled.

Kangaskhan laughed, brushed by Artemis and hobbled forward. The fox retaliated with a gentle swat of her tail, brushing over the elderly Pokémon without any real heat to it. Artemis followed behind her with a huff of steam, mumbling something about Kangaskhan being too old to deserve a proper smack to the head.

The duo walked along, exiting the little outpost that acted as the store front, and stepped into the Depot proper. Rows upon rows of storage containers, wooden crates, and carefully labeled shelving towered over them. Artemis fully believed that she would get lost in here trying to find anything, despite the labels—this place was maze-like. Artemis also fully believed that Kangaskhan could walk this place blind, and still find everything she was looking for.

Finally, they came upon the house in the center of the Depot, a squat little shack that had definitely seen some years of use. Artemis beat Kangaskhan to the door and held it open for her, much to the visible annoyance of the older Pokémon.

“I’m not that old,” she muttered. Artemis replied with a wry chuckle and closed the door behind her.

The pair settled around the table, and Artemis allowed the older woman her brief moment of hospitality by letting her pour the first drinks. Once they were both seated, they engaged in idle chit-chat and chatter, the likes of which caused Artemis an immense amount of discomfort.

“How have you been?”

“ Good. Busy, working a lot.” I’ve also been dealing with a traumatized Pokémon who’s surprisingly peaceful for what he went through. A decent amount of it is my fault too, but that’s not something I can just bring up and talk to someone about.

“Find anything exciting out on your explorations?”

“ Nothing, just the same boring Mystery Dungeons. Though there was that Grimer kid who was a whole thing to deal with. His dad was an odd one too.” Absolutely nothing at all. I'm still doing these fetch quests and am contributing nothing to society as a whole. I hate it. I can’t do more though, I have other responsibilities, and have to take care of the Pokémon I fucked up first. And I don’t even know if I’m doing that right!

“Are your friends up to anything?”

“ Leafeon asked us to help him with a job tomorrow. Mew is still away, though I think she’ll be showing up soon.” And thank Arceus for that. I need to talk to someone about everything that happened. But, it’s either confidential, or so fucked up that I can’t bring it up. Also, what friends? I guess you and Leafeon count? Maybe that Zangoose, but I don’t even know her name. I just see her and we sometimes talk about fur stuff. Not that anyone wants to socialize in the first place—work takes priority and I made that very clear.

“... And how is Silvally doing?” Kangaskhan's tone changed a little.

“ He’s doing better than expected. Reading and learning a lot. He’s adapting well to everything.” Not that he has a choice. His whole thing seems to be adapting- Wait, she said it like that because I didn’t talk about Silvally when she mentioned ‘friends’. I mean, he’s not my friend. I’m pretty sure he still hates me, and he's still terrified of me. We’re... What? Unwilling work partners? I guess I could be paired with worse Pokémon—he keeps up and pulls his weight, which is better than most I’ve worked with.

“ Oh, yes, right!” Kangaskhan gained a burst of energy, snapping Artemis from her thoughts. “I was looking for that bag I promised him. It seems to have wandered off... Again .” She got to her feet and kept hold of her cup, hobbling her way toward the door. “Would you mind helping me find it? I’ve been meaning to give it to you two for a while now, but never had the time.” She paused for a moment, then added, “Or you two are running around faster than I can keep up.”

“Of course.” Artemis stood with a flourish of tails, forming a little psychic disc beneath her cup. She padded over to Kangaskhan and held open the door, allowing the Depot owner to toddle through the doors. Artemis slipped through the door after her, falling into step alongside her. “So, what exactly are we looking for?”

“It’s a small brown bag,” Kangaskhan explained. “Kind of like your Exploration Bag, dear. It’s just much smaller... Maybe that’s why it gets lost...” she grumbled. “It’s a touch on the older side—I grew up with it, after all!”

Artemis flashed Kangaskhan a smile, and nodded. She wasn’t smiling inside—a small satchel like that, lost in this obscenely large area? It would take days of actual searching if it was hidden in some random pile of items. To hide her true thoughts, Artemis gulped down the last of her tea—sure, it was good, but it wasn’t coffee— and floated the cup over to sit on the porch.