Chapter Text
Lyric looked over the basket of food packets with a growing trepidation. Every distant noise, no matter how small, made her jump thinking that Kleavor was just around the corner. Once the last balm was placed inside the basket, Irida stood up and dusted off her hands.
"Even though we have placed our trust in the Galaxy Team for the method with which to quell Kleavor, I still have my doubts about entrusting the execution to an outsider." She said with an intense expression, her eyes fixed on Lyric. "You share neither our customs nor our values. Prove to me that you're worthy to stand in the presence of our noble Pokémon!" From its position at her feet, Irida's Glaceon growled. "If you can defeat Glaceon and I, I will entrust you with Kleavor's fate. Will you battle us?"
"I will." Lyric replied as she stood. Lian grabbed the basket of offerings and dragged it out of the way. Once the field was clear, Lyric sent out Dizzy, knowing that an ice type like Glaceon would make short work of the rest of her team. Both Pokémon were quick, clashing in a shower of sparks and frost. Dizzy's powerful electric attacks hit Glaceon hard, paralyzing it and allowing Dizzy to strike a quick final attack to end the battle. Once the steam and dust had cleared, Lyric approached Irida.
"Here." Lyric said, holding out a revive crystal that she had gotten during her last visit to the village. "If you want to get her back up faster. I know I can't stand seeing my Pokémon knocked out." Tentatively, Irida took the crystal and offered it to her Glaceon. The Pokémon perked up a bit, not fully healed but now able to stand on its own.
"Even using those strange pokéballs, you still understand the Pokémon you've caught and treat them as partners… Perhaps I was wrong about you Galaxy Team folks." Irida scooped up her Glaceon and smiled. "I feel better putting my trust in you now, Lyric. Thank you."
"No worries. I get that people here are… cautious when it comes to outsiders." Lyric smiled back, though the warmth didn't quite reach her eyes. She turned to Lian and gestured for him to bring the basket back over.
"Are we ready?" The young warden asked. Irida nodded and looked at Lyric.
"As ready as I'll ever be." Lyric sighed and slung the basket over her shoulder. She stepped forward, walking up to the base of the massive tree at the arena's center.
"Prepare yourself, and I will summon mighty Kleavor, Lord of the Woods." Lian began, raising his hands to the sky and closing his eyes. "Oh mighty Kleavor, Lord of the Woods… Though it is not yet the time of ceremony, we have prepared an offering of your favorite things. Benevolent lord who works his might between heaven and earth, we offer our gratitude and beseech you, reveal yourself to us!" He cried. There was a tense moment of silence as Lyric stood there waiting.
Then, seemingly out of nowhere, came a screeching call paired with the sound of branches crashing to the forest floor. A streak of golden light shot through the trees, slicing cleanly through each trunk it passed. Kleavor, clad in this supernatural glow, lept into the air with a spin. He landed just a couple yards from Lyric and stared her down with radiant fury before slamming his axe-ended limbs into the ground.
Lyric swallowed thickly and readied a balm in her hand, but had to quickly stumble out of the way as Kleavor charged. The noble Pokémon's frenzy blinded him to the point where he ran straight into the high side of the arena. While it was dazed, Lyric took the opportunity to bombard him with balms, cringing back in disgust as the packets of moist food burst and splattered over both the Pokémon and herself. Kleavor shook himself, clearing his head and turning back towards Lyric again. This time, she was ready and rolled to the side, covering herself in damp soil in the process.
Kleavor again slammed into the arena wall and Budge went on the attack, diving at the noble Pokémon and beating him with his wings. Lyric used the distraction to fling another volley at Kleavor, taking careful steps back as he turned to her once again to charge. At this point, the number of balms in her basket was running dangerously low, and she knew she had a limited chance for this whole plan to work. As Kleavor charged again, Lyric swung the basket off of her back and ran headlong at Kleavor with a yell. The basket slotted cleanly onto Kleavor's head, the spike on his brow bulging dangerously against the bottom. The remaining balms squished into the bottom of the basket as Lyric was pushed backwards. With the basket on his head, Kleavor's charge began to slow, though his momentum continued until they both reached the massive tree at the arena's center.
Still pushing back against the basket and shouting, Lyric held firmly until her back scraped against the bark harshly and Kleavor finally stopped. The golden glow encasing his body dissipated and the Pokémon stepped back. He shook the basket off of his head and looked around confused for a moment before turning to Lyric. He leaned down, head covered in sticky bits of balm, and spat a chartreuse rectangle onto the ground at her feet.
"Er, thanks?" Lyric picked up the damp plate and Klevor dashed off back into the woods.
"W-what happened?" Lian asked as he and Irida jogged up to Lyric. "Has Lord Kleavor's frenzy been quelled?"
"It seems that strange lightning from the rift may have been to blame for Kleavor's unnatural behavior." Irida mused. "At least, that's my theory.
"I think you're probably right." Lyric wiped some dirt off of her face. "Though we can help Pokémon affected by the lightning. We know that now."
"I'm glad we were able to settle this without further strife with the Diamond Clan or the Galaxy Team." Irida sighed, a weight having been lifted from her shoulders. "If you come across any other Pokémon that have been similarly afflicted, please help them."
"I will. It's part of my job now, I guess." Lyric shrugged, feeling exhaustion starting to weigh her down. The ache of all that running, and throwing, and rolling had seeped into her bones.
"Thank you for aiding Lord Kleavor. It means a lot to the Pearl Clan, and to me as his warden." Lian smiled. "You need a bath."
"Yeah, and a nap." Lyric's body sagged further. "I'm going to go make camp somewhere and try to clean up a bit. See you guys later." She waved at them weakly as she began walking away towards the river at the bottom of the hill.
~~~
Golden light shimmered as it finally dissipated into the sky above. Volo watched it fade as he hiked in the direction of its origin. He had been travelling the land long enough to know that it had come from Grandtree Arena even without the rumors regarding the noble Kleavor's frenzied state. However, he had no interest in encountering the so-called Lord of the Wood himself. Rather, Volo wanted to know who had quelled the noble's rampage when so many others had failed. He had his suspicions, of course, and those suspicions were quickly being proven as fact when a familiar voice reached his ears from just beyond the dense bushes.
Lyric, the traveller from the rift, was talking and singing to her Pokemon somewhere near the river's edge. Volo crept closer quietly, concealing himself in the foliage in hopes that he might get to enjoy scaring her again. However, once he had cleared the leaves in front of his face to better see, he froze. He was only a few yards from the water and could see her bare back and rear as she stood in the stream. Her quiet, pretty singing voice carried over the air as she set up her belongings on the riverbank. Volo knew he absolutely should not be watching her, but his eyes clung to the curves of her hips and waist and kept him rooted to the spot.
"Budge, are you going to take a bath or not?" Lyric asked, hands on her hips as her Dartrix scowled at the pink bar of soap in her hand. "At least rinse off, please." Begrudgingly, he found a shallow spot and splashed around to appease his trainer. A small sound in the leaves, just past the opposite bank, made him stop to look for any incoming threats. Lyric began to sing again as she took a small washrag and started wiping streaks of dirt off her arms and legs.
Arceus have mercy , Volo thought as he watched the path of the washrag intently. When he had first met Lyric, the shapeless garment she had been wearing had hidden the soft curves of her body and made her look strange. However, when he had startled her on the path a few days earlier, her new uniform had been much more flattering on her. Though it was quite concealing, it still served to accentuate her ample assets. He was only human, and he couldn't deny that she was attractive. He inched forward, his knee coming to rest on a twig that snapped instantly. Lyric didn't hear the sound over her own singing, but Budge certainly did. He hopped out of the water and took to the air in a spray of water, launching himself in Volo's direction. Just as quickly, Lyric grabbed Budge's pokéball from the riverbank and opened it, recalling him.
"Nope. No starting fights while I'm trying to bathe." She looked down at the closed pokéball and stuck her tongue out at it before setting it back on the bank. She took the bar of soap and turned towards the other side of the river before bending over to wash her hair. Realizing that she could look up at any second and spot him, Volo snapped out the daze he was in and made a quick escape back towards the path.
Lyric flipped her now-clean hair out of the way before soaping up her hands again and washing her body. The fact that Budge had clearly thought something was lurking in the bushes. It was probably just some wild Pokémon that had wandered too close for his liking. But, if it was a wild Pokémon, then she definitely needed to hurry up. She splashed the remaining soap off of herself and quickly got out of the water to dry and change.
~~~
As she made her way back to Jubilife the next morning, Lyric made sure to stop at the Fieldlands camp to discuss things with Professor Laventon. She went over the method they had used to pacify Kleavor and, more importantly, she showed him the plates she had gotten from Kleavor and Wyrdeer.
"Hmm, I don't believe I've ever seen artifacts such as these, much less in the possession of Pokémon." Laventon looked over the writing carved into the stone. "Nor have I ever seen this script before."
"What do you think they're for?" Lyric asked. "I mean, if the noble Pokémon had them, then could they have some sort of spiritual purpose, or something?" She shrugged. "I don't know, honestly. I'm just guessing."
"Perhaps…" Laventon mused over the plates for another moment before handing them back to Lyric. "There may be someone among the Pearl or Diamond clans who would know what they are, or perhaps even someone who has spent a significant amount of time traveling through Hisui. Either way, I encourage you to learn more about them. It may expand our understanding of this region's Pokémon. Just make sure you keep track of them!"
"I'll keep that in mind, professor." Lyric assured him and tucked the plates back in her bag. She had a few ideas of who she could speak to, but she wasn't sure how soon she would see any of them. Either way, she knew she had to return to the village first.