Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It was supposed to be his perfect victory. The final act into the creation of a new world. One without any criminals, no wrongdoings, no injustice. One where he would rule as a god, feared and revered by all. Anyone who knew about the Death Note aside from him and his follower were supposed to die today. So how? How did things go this way? How did this curly white-haired boy, crouched before him, having worn a mask of his dead adversary, manage to ruin everything?

Flashes of the events pounded through Light’s mind, replaying over and over in his head, as he gripped the bullet wound in his shoulder. He could see Mikami slowly dragging the door to the warehouse open, in sheer awe of seeing his god. His disheveled, long black hair billowing wildly in the wind while his Shinigami eyes burned a vibrant red in hopes of pleasing Light with the names he’d written down in the notebook. In forty seconds, everyone from the Task Force and the SPK should have died on the spot.

36… 37… 38… 39…

“Well Near, looks like I win,” Light announced smugly, a twisted grin darkening his face. Forty seconds passed as the world stilled, but… nothing happened. Everything became a blur in his mind. Mikami crying out to Light that he did everything he was told. Rester and Gevanni rushing to arrest Mikami as the pages of the notebook flung out from their bindings. Near revealing the names written down, everyone’s names except for Light’s. It all became a raging torrent, pounding through his whole being, making all his plans crumble in an instant.

Light jerked back, screaming and tripping as the burly figure of Mogi reached for his wrist to cuff him, running to the door of a loading dock frantically. It had to be a trap. A trick just to set him up. As the events flashed by, he could see Near pulling out the real notebook from his white button up shirt, revealing a name that sealed his fate. Kiyomi Takada. The same name that Light had written on the piece he kept hidden in his watch. He glared at Mikami. You IDIOT! I gave you strict orders not to make any unnecessary movement until today!

It wasn’t just Mikami’s slip up that doomed him. No, it was also Mello, a successor of L’s, like Near, who was the reason why Takada had to be gotten rid of in the first place. Him kidnapping her, while in turn sacrificing his own life for the sake of the investigation, was what turned everything in Near’s favor.

Near held up three finger puppets of him, Mello, and L, head resting on his left arm and knee, which were propped up. His wide gray eyes watched Light with no hint of emotion in them. “Let’s see you try and talk your way out of this one… if you can.”

No… it can’t be the end. A chilling maniacal laugh erupted from Light as he jerked his head upward, eyes glowing red. “That’s right… I am Kira.” Yes, this wasn’t over yet. He could still win this. Because of him, wars around the globe ceased while crime rates decreased by seventy percent. Things can’t go back to the way they were before! Pulling the crown of his watch, the secret compartment popped open, revealing the hidden piece of the notebook. He just had to write Near’s name!

“He’s hidden a piece of the notebook!”

BANG!

The sound of a gunshot echoed as a sharp pain seared Light’s hand, blood pouring out from the bullet wound as he squeezed it tightly. He glared up at the source of the bullet. Matsuda stood before him, shaking as tears streamed down his face. Everything became hazy in Light’s mind. He was screaming out for Matsuda to shoot everyone, attempting to write Near’s name again, before the pain intensified, multiple bullets piercing his body as blood spurted from the wound. Where was Takada!? Where was Misa!? Somebody! Anybody…

A loud, agonizing scream pierced through the air. Mikami’s scream. Light could barely see what was happening but took the opportunity to run. With all his remaining strength, he forced the door to the warehouse open, rushing out, gripping his shoulder wound tightly. The evening sun nearly blinded him as he heard Matsuda call out his name. He gasped for breath, nearly tripping multiple times as the adrenaline forced him to keep going past the industrial buildings and chain linked fence. Glaring sunlight blurred his vision, and he could have sworn there was a younger version of himself walking by, studiously reading a book. A younger Light Yagami before finding the notebook. His weary brown eyes glanced back for a brief moment in longing. Was everything he did really worth it in the end?

Tears began welling up in his eyes as the adrenaline wore off, slowing to a limp as he approached another warehouse, going inside. He gripped onto the handrails to keep himself from falling. A set of metal stairs came into view, and he limped up them before laying on his back and gasping for breath. All the strength in his body faded as he stared at the ceiling.

THU-THUMP!

Light felt his chest tighten in pain, his eyes shooting wide open. Silence filled the room around him, the world he once knew fading. It was all over. Ryuk wrote his name in the notebook, just like he’d promised the day they met. Everything Light had worked for up to this moment, all the criminals he killed, all the people who got in his way that died, it all meant nothing. With Kira’s disappearance, the world would go back to the way it was before. Why did it have to be this way? He wasn’t ready to die!

As his vision began to fade, a silhouette of a familiar man appeared before him, ghastly, hunched over, ethereal. His messy black hair covered his eyes, though it was clear he was watching Light. L…Was he here to gloat? Was he even really here or was Light hallucinating? Did it really matter? With a final breath, Light slowly closed his eyes and the beating of his heart ceased.

~~~~~~~

It felt as if he was fading, drifting along a sea of darkness. No one was around to greet him in death. There was no heaven or hell. Just… nothing… How long has Light been here? Would he eventually just fade away all together? He didn’t even have a body to his name anymore. Was this what it means to die? It wasn’t like there was anything he could do about it now.

Or that’s what he thought, until a warm feeling wove through the sea. It felt like the hugs his father would give him after being at work all day when Light was only a boy. In the distance, a small glow pierced through the darkness, before enveloping the world around him in a bright, overwhelming light. The intensity of everything around Light nearly sent him reeling, as the feeling of being whole slowly returned. He breathed in and looked down, seeing himself, drifting in this light, though his body was translucent.

“Light Yagami…” A bellowing voice boomed from above.

Light looked up and let out a scream of terror at what he saw. A creature bathed in white and yellow, gazing down at him with intense red and green eyes. It appeared to be some sort of equine being or perhaps a qilin? A long mane stretched down its head, white and gray with a horizontal lined pattern. Two protrusions came up from its head, making it seem like it was wearing a helmet while its hooves were tipped in gold. Around its abdomen was a cross-like wheel with green gems on the center of each tip.

What was this creature? A Shinigami? No, why would they come here? Still, he couldn’t shake the trembling in his ghostly body at the sight of this godlike being. “W-Who are you!?” He demanded, leaning back and gripping his shoulders tightly.

“Do not be afraid, young man,” The creature hovered closer, leaning its head down as the voice emanated soothingly from it. “I mean you no harm. I have been called by many names, The Original One, The Almighty, The Creator, but you may call me Arceus.”

Arceus… Light never heard of this creature before. For all his time in school studying, nothing about the name was familiar. “Why are you here? And what are you exactly!?”

“I am a being that governs over creatures not like you humans in a distant world, a god to them,” Arceus replied, his voice becoming deeper and stern as he loomed over Light. “So, tell me, you wished to become a god, are you satisfied with where your efforts led you?”

Light gritted his teeth, glaring up at Arceus. How dare he come here and taunt me! He threw his hands back in anger. “Someone had to do it! If you really are a god, then you would have seen the Earth! Too many criminals were running around, doing whatever they please! Hurting the lives of the good and innocent!” He pointed at the godly creature. “Isn’t divine judgement something a god must enact on those who have sinned!? Wouldn’t you understand!?”

“If that were true, you would be just as guilty of sin as anyone,” The bright aura around Arceus intensified, nearly blinding Light as he covered his face and shrank back fearfully. At the sight of this, the aura dimmed as Arceus’s voice soothed into a warmer tone while retaining its sternness. “When you first found the Death Note, you took on the role of Kira due to your own boredom. Life offered you no real challenge, despite all of your achievements as a top student with a promising future, until the corrupting power made you feel alive once again. However, underneath that, I can see a young boy wanting to change the world, but it is not the place of a mortal to enact judgement in such a way that you had. Not only that, but you also struck down the lives of good, innocent people simply for being in your way. Though the only reason you were able to kill as many as you did was because of that Shinigami. I can acknowledge that much.”

“Is this why you’re here? Just to tell me that everything I did was wrong? What can that do? I’m already dead.” The words lingered bitterly in Light’s mouth as he looked down, brows furrowing.

“No, that is not why I’m here,” Arceus began. “Humans are flawed creatures. They tend to stray, which leads to other humans getting hurt, but they also have the power to change. I’m here to offer you a deal.”

Light raised an eyebrow. “Where are you going with this?

“There is another world out there, the world that I govern, that you might say is just as damned as Earth,” Arceus explained, his head tilted down in a hint of sorrow. “Though the cause of this is completely different than what you are used to. I’m willing to give you a second chance at life, if you can solve how to save this world.”

Light scoffed and folded his arms. “Are you not able to intervene yourself?”

“This is my method of intervening. Should I come into the world and change it myself, there would be mass panic among my children. I am not here to strike fear into those who are mortal, nor am I one to so easily show myself. It would also be an infringement upon the free will I’ve gifted them.”

“Sounds to me like you’re being indolent,” Light scoffed, giving the god-like being a sly grin.

Arceus’s pupils narrowed as the aura faded slightly. “You have some nerve to speak to me this way when I am the one giving you form.” He turned, starting to float away. “You’re a smart young man, I see great potential in you, but if you don’t wish to take this deal, then I’ll just leave you be.”

Light let out a shaky gasp, as the wholeness began wavering with Arceus’s aura. He reached out, pleadingly, his hand disappearing. “Wait! No! Don’t leave!”
 

With a pause, Arceus turned his head slightly, as the aura illuminated the area once again, bringing Light back into being. “You understand this is something I don’t take lightly,” He swerved around to look down at the young man. “If you do not take my deal, then you’ll never get a second chance.”

A second chance… The idea was admittedly enticing to Light, considering how things ended, but what exactly was in store for him? Could he trust this being with bringing him back to life? Would he still be himself? He breathed out a sigh. “What are your terms?”

“In order to bring you back to life in my own world, you’ll lose your connection to Earth and become a part of mine. You’ll be brought back as you were before you died, aside from injuries, which means that you’ll retain all your memories of the Death Note. Not even the Shinigami can interfere with this. Once brought into my world, you will no longer be able to act as Kira and must find another method to save it. Are those terms agreeable?”

There was silence between the two as Arceus concluded his terms. No longer connected to Earth… what does he mean by that? He’s saying I’ll still be me, but the connection makes no sense. And why let me keep my memories of the Death Note? This must be a test. Light looked down, hand on his chin in contemplation. If I took this deal, how can I even be sure that I will succeed? And if I do something to tick Arceus off, would I be struck down? He took in the sea of light, knowing that the moment Arceus left, the emptiness would return. There would be nothing to him. No body, no emotions, no ambition. Living in such a place with nothingness would be much worse than whatever was in store should he accept. He looked up, a fire kindling in his brown eyes. “Yes, I accept.”

Arceus stared at Light intensely, not once blinking, which sent a shudder through the young man’s body. He nodded his head slowly. “Very well, then I wish you luck, Light Yagami.”

The aura intensified, surrounding Light as his vision went white. He let out a loud, fearful scream, pain searing his body once again. It felt as if he were being pushed and pulled at the same time, warped through dimensions. He couldn’t comprehend how much time had passed before everything went black once again.

~~~~~~~

Urgh… where am I…? Light let out a low groan, body aching from the hard, rocky surface of the ground, and opened his eyes. Pushing himself up, he sat on his knees, brushing his fingers through his soft brown hair. Wait… I’m alive! He gasped quietly, cupping his face, feeling the smoothness of his skin, before gripping his chest. His heart rate was elevated but at least beating. The gray suit he was wearing in the warehouse was still on him, though there were bullet holes left in them. His fingers pressed against where the wound was, and he let out a hiss as it was still tender. Well, at least I can feel something. He sighed with relief, falling back onto the ground to bask in the sunlight and revel in being alive again.

Or he would be if there were any sunlight. The sky was completely dark, without a single star in the sky, not even the moon. “Hold on a minute…” Light stood up, wobbly from standing for the first time again, and scanned the area. Thick trees of a forest surrounded him, completely grayed out by the darkness of the sky. There wasn’t even a hint of color to them. That wasn’t what unsettled him the most though. As he walked over to the trees, he could see they weren’t moving. Not even a little rustle. He couldn’t even feel the slightest breeze in the air. It was as if the whole world was completely frozen. “Is this what Arceus meant by a different cause? Where the hell am I even supposed to start!?”

A low growl from behind made him freeze. He turned slowly, as a brown bearlike creature stared at him, lips drawn back in a snarl. It stood on two legs, with brown fur, which was longer and more rectangular on its shoulders, had a cream-colored muzzle, and a cream circle on its stomach. Its triangular eyes narrowed as it raised its long, thin claws up in anticipation of attacking.

Without a second to waste, Light broke into a sprint, nearly tripping from the sudden pressure before weaving through the trees. His lungs screamed for air as the sound of roaring filled his ears. Where have I been thrown into!? Turning his head slightly, he could see the bear was hot on his trail, letting out ferocious grunts and roars. Its claws scored through the trees with ease, sending a sick feeling through Light’s stomach.

No, I can’t falter now, there’s gotta be something I could use to get out of this! Light tried to ease his breathing to clear his mind. Looking down, he could see a bunch of sharp rocks were sticking up from the ground. Maybe…

He quickly reached down to grab one before picking up the pace again, turning to run backwards and get a decent view of the bear. His eyes squinted, taking in the bear’s erratic movement, before it roared with eyes open wide. There! He squeezed the rock and drew his arm over his shoulders before launching it, sharp side first at his pursuer.

Light twisted his heels around, breaking back into a sprint immediately after throwing the rock. A loud roar of pain erupted from behind him, though he didn’t look to see if the rock made its mark. The trees ahead grew denser as he weaved his way through them, the bear’s roars distant as it no longer pursued him.

After what seemed like forever, he finally stopped, leaning against a tree and gasping for breath. “How did I survive that?” His knees nearly buckled as he gripped the trunk of the tree tightly. Silence filled the air once again aside from the rapid beating of his heart. He slid to his knees and looked at the sky. “If you want me to save this world, then why the hell did you throw me in next to a vicious bear!?” He yelled, though no one responded.

He sighed in annoyance and adjusted himself, so his back was rested against the tree. The bark was surprisingly reassuring, giving a way to ground himself. He closed his eyes in hopes of getting at least some semblance of rest. However, the sound of a rumble made him jolt up, quickly scanning for the source. As far as he could see, there was nothing close by. The same rumble sounded again as the realization hit. When was the last time he ate something? Is there even any food in this place? What I wouldn’t give for an apple now.

Footsteps snapped him out of his thoughts as he turned, seeing a silhouette shrouded by the trees. Not again… I can barely move after the last one… Gritting his teeth, he let out a threatening yell. “Whoever you are, stay away from me!”

However, the silhouette didn’t move, tilting its head to the side. Light couldn’t make out what exactly it was, but at the very least, it didn’t seem to be on the verge of attacking. The most he could see was curious, almond shaped yellow eyes. He blinked in surprise as it spoke.

“Excuse me? Are you, by chance, a human?"

Chapter Text

Lightning crackled in the sky, rain pouring viciously into the raging sea. A glimmer of blue light flickered through the rain that distorted into a curving tube, as two figures within it held onto each other tightly. One’s grip was slipping as their body went limp while the other grabbed onto them with their free hand. Their voice cried out through the wind.

“Wait, stay with me! Just hold on a little bit longer! We’re almost there! Please!”

The wind battered them, threatening to pull them apart. A flash of lightning made the conscious figure flinch, their grip loosening on their friend. They scrambled to pull them closer, but the torrent of rain made it difficult for them to tighten their grip. An echoing boom of thunder erupted around them, as the unconscious one slipped from their friend’s hands, dragged away by the ferocious winds, and their form began to shift. The conscious figure reached out desperately, screaming out “NOOOOOOOO!” before a white light enveloped them.

The unconscious figure was thrown into the sea, the waves pounding mercilessly against them. Harsh winds pushed them along the surface, miraculously keeping them afloat. Lightning flashed in the sky above a rocky cliff in the shape of a Sharpedo. Another wave reared above the figure, pulling them up before crashing down close to a sandy beach. The winds began to slow as the rains died down, leaving the figure drifting until they were washed up on shore. Their breathing was slow as they laid on their back, barely moving.

~~~~~~~

“So, to sum everything up, the reason why Leavanny was able to evade police detainment for so long was because he relied on the environment of Apple Woods to hide himself. That being said, he’s still an inexperienced thief who gave enough clues for me to find and apprehend him,” A Sneasel with messy black hair explained, crouched with a claw teasing his lip in front of the officer, Magnezone, who was listening with intrigue. His tone was monotone and slightly nonchalant. “I found remnants of leaves in Kangaskhan’s storage, which matched him perfectly, and from there I was able to deduce that he would likely be hiding close by in a place where he wouldn’t be so easily found. That way, once things died down, he could sneak back in an attempt to steal more from her.”

Officer Magnezone gave a nod, their magnets twirling as they replied in a staticky voice, “BZZT! I see… it’s no wonder we couldn’t find him. Thank you for your cooperation, L. Your sharp eyes saved Mrs. Kangaskhan from another catastrophe. ZZZT!”

L nodded slowly, raising up from his position. “Is that everything you need then?”

Magnezone checked over some paperwork on the outlaw, making a mechanical humming sound, before turning back to L. “Yes. BZZT! That should be everything. We’ll get the reward to the guild as soon as everything has been processed. BZZT!”

“Take your time, I should be going now.” L turned from Magnezone, giving a slight nod before making his way out from the station. The evening sun was beginning to set, the sky becoming painted in a harmonious blend of pinks and oranges, which shaded the round stone and wooden building of the station in warmer browns, grays, and greens. A gentle breeze blew through the air, which was a drastic difference to the harsh storm the night before. A couple of Magnemite floated by, greeting him with a buzz, which he returned with a noncommittal nod.

A Midday Lycanroc with long dark blue, almost black, and cream fur was sitting outside, sharing a conversation with a red-orange and gray furred Arcanine, both of them smiling brightly at each other. She looked up and muttered something to the Arcanine before bounding over to L. “Good evening, L. It’s good to see you, how are you today?”

L paused and turned to the Lycanroc, tilting his head slightly. “Officer Naomi, I’m doing well, I suppose, and how about you?”

“Also doing well. Raye and I just got back from an encounter with a Hariyama and his minions. He certainly put up quite the fight, but we managed to put him down,” Naomi replied, her posture straight while her dark blue-gray eyes shown a spark of pride through the seriousness. “Have you had any leads on our joint case?”

L sighed in mild frustration and shook his head. “Not any that prove to be fruitful, though we knew what we were getting ourselves into when we took it up. And how about you?”

Naomi huffed. “Each trail goes cold on our end too.”

“That’s about what I expected,” L shrugged and turned away. “There’s no use letting it bring down our spirits, in due time we’ll expose his location, and bring him to justice.”

“Yes, I’ll let you know if anything comes up. You have a good night,” Naomi replied, giving a slight smile before going back to the Arcanine, whose name was Raye.

L watched the two continuing their conversation, eyes wide before turning around. It was faint, but a sense of longing tugged at his heart as he left. Close behind him, the faint sound of wings battering reached his ears, though he kept going as normal. The breeze ruffled his hair as he arrived at the crossroad.

Up north was home to the Wigglytuff guild, where he was currently living. Judging by the sun, it would almost be dinner time, but he wasn’t quite ready to go back. Instead, he went south, following the path as the grassy terrain turned into a sandy beach with terracotta-colored rocks towering along the shore. The waves pushed back and forth with the wind as Krabby skittered onto the rocks, blowing bubbles that reflected the evening sun.

L stood there, watching the bubbles fluttering in the air and crouched down, knees bent upward while his feet were planted firmly against the sand. The sound of gentle waves invited him to relax in the peaceful atmosphere. His left hand rested on his knees while the right fidgeted with a small rock, which had a string tied around it that was worn as a necklace. He hummed quietly, letting his mind wander.

“So, Leavanny ended up leading me nowhere… shame, I thought for sure he would have known something about him,” L muttered to himself, holding the rock up with the tips of his claws pressed against both sides. He stared idly at the strange pattern, which was circular at the center, as four swirls emerged from it, and four winglike designs set in between them. “All my leads send me to a dead end each time… and there’s only so much ground I can cover by myself. This would be easier if I had a partner.” He let go of the rock, letting it swing along the necklace. From his bag, he pulled out a clear gummi, watching the sunset as he bit into it. A sweet flavor swam through his tastebuds, and he hummed again in satisfaction.

“Well, at the very least, our storage supplies are no longer going to be stolen, that would hamper our efforts if Leavanny was left alone any longer,” L concluded as he took another bite of the gummi. He turned his head slightly to the left and squinted his eyes, seeing a brown and dark gray figure lying on the sand. Pushing himself up, he walked closer to it cautiously before freezing.

A Riolu was lying on the ground, though not like one he had seen before. They had light brown fur instead of the usual blue, and longer, slightly darker brown hair around their head with bangs that swept to the right and curled in a bit from the sides. Their face was scrunched up in pain, though their eyes were still closed and their chest heaved slowly.
 

L stared at the Riolu, eyes wide as his heart rate sped up. There was something familiar about them, though he couldn’t put his claw on why. Have they met before? Well, only one way to find out. He walked closer to the Riolu, only a few inches away, looking at them from multiple angles before crouching down and poking them.

~~~~~~~

Light groaned quietly, his entire body aching while lying in darkness. The sound of waves were distant, bringing some sense of reality to him. What happened…? Something prodded his side, and he groaned in annoyance. He wasn’t ready to wake up yet. The same thing prodded him again, a bit harder this time, pulling him out of the darkness. His eyes slowly opened, vision taking a second to unblur.

He let out a surprised scream, scooting back against the sand, as he was met with two wide gray eyes with dark circles underneath them, inches away from his face. He shook and gasped for breath, taking in the sight of the creature before him. They didn’t flinch, didn’t even blink from his scream.

They were a weasel-like creature, extremely thin and sitting in a strange crouching position that didn’t look comfortable. Their fur was a light bluish gray, with black hair that swerved messily in front of their eyes and stuck out in multiple places. They had sharp, white claws and strange yellow gems on their forehead and stomach, though their hair mostly hid the one on their forehead, while a muted red feather came out from the left of their head and three more from behind them. Around their neck was an off-white scarf and rock tied in a necklace with a pattern Light couldn’t make out. They also carried a brown bag around their shoulder.

“Good, you’re awake,” The creature spoke in a monotone, slightly deep, male voice while watching Light intensely.

Light raised an eyebrow, still trying to catch his breath and figuring out how this strange creature reacted so calmly to his scream. “Who are you!? No, scratch that, what are you!?”

The creature ignored him, jumping up to circle around curiously, before going in to lift his arm, which Light quickly pulled away with a grunt of protest. “You don’t seem to be injured, though your body is completely drenched,” he said bluntly.

“That’s not answering my question!” Light growled, bunching his shoulders up defensively.

“I’m a Sneasel,” The creature replied, as if it were common knowledge.

Light squinted. “That… doesn’t really help me, what’s a Sneasel?”

“It’s what I am,” The Sneasel replied, a hint of sarcasm in his voice, as he crouched back down and bit at one of his claws. “Also known as a Pokémon, which is what you and I are. Is this all sounding familiar to you?”

Pokémon… Something about that did sound kind of familiar but… “I’m not a Pokémon, I’m a human.”

The Sneasel’s brows furrowed slightly, as he leaned forward with his mouth opened in disbelief. “You’re human? There aren’t any humans that roam this place, as far as I know. Did you bump your head? You might need to see a doctor, Riolu.”

 “What? You think I’m lying!? I really am a human, and my name is not Riolu, it’s Light!” He stood up; fists clenched as the Sneasel was beginning to get on his nerves.

The Sneasel’s eyes widened for a moment, as his head tilted down in contemplation. He then got up, walking with a hunched posture to the waves and stepping into the water. “Come over here.”

Light grimaced at the blunt command before cautiously walking to him. What is this Sneasel planning? Is he going to try to drown him? A cold chill ran through his legs to his spine as he stepped into the water.

He stared down and gasped quietly as his hands, which were now paws, cupped his cheeks. He wasn’t human. Instead, he was some jackal looking creature with brown and gray fur, standing bipedal, with gray protrusions coming from his head. “What the hell!? How did this happen to me!?” He jerked to the Sneasel, pointing at him accusatorily. “Did you have something to do with this!?”

The Sneasel was barely fazed by Light’s accusations. “Now you notice. No, it wasn’t me, you were just lying unconscious on the beach when I found you,” He replied, turning around and returning to land, shaking the water off his feet. “You really believe that you’re human?”

“I promise you; I was!” Light insisted, throwing his hands up.

“Then tell me, what exactly happened before you became a Pokémon? And if you were human, what were you like before?”

“Well, that’s easy, I—” Light broke off as a realization hit him like a crashing wave. The dull ache in his head intensified as he rubbed it. “I… I can’t remember anything. All I know is there was a storm and now I’m here like…” He gestured to himself. “This.”

The Sneasel paused, staring into Light’s confused and scared eyes. It felt as if time slowed as this Pokémon contemplated everything he said. Of course it would sound far-fetched, he made a big deal about being human only to say he couldn’t remember anything else. “You don’t seem to be lying,” The Sneasel bit his claw again. “And it’s true there was a storm last night. It seems that whatever happened then turned you into a Riolu and caused you to develop amnesia, though you at least remember a few things. Having a name and small piece of your background should be helpful, but it doesn’t give us much to go off of.”

Light sighed and relaxed his shoulders. Okay, good. This Sneasel believes me… Still, he’s so strange. What exactly is his deal? He doesn’t seem to be acting malicious, but he’s definitely wary. I don’t have anyone else to turn to though, maybe I can get some insight about where I am and who he is. “Well, it’s better than nothing, I guess,” Light shifted the weight on his right leg, cupping his chin with a paw. “What’s your name by the way?”

“I am L.”

Light let out a soft, confused noise. Something about this name felt familiar, and now that he looked closer, L’s appearance, voice, and mannerisms also seemed somewhat familiar. Have we met before? Maybe that’s why he’s been so wary of me. Or maybe it’s simply because of my behavior. I might be overthinking this, surely, he would have said something if he knew me. He reached out a paw. “Nice to meet you, L.” It took a few seconds of L staring at his palm, before he reached out to shake Light’s paw. “Sorry for screaming in your face like that.” He rubbed the back of his head and chuckled as his tail swished along the sand.

“That’s quite alright, though I suppose I should apologize for getting too close in the first place,” L replied, releasing Light’s paw. “If you have any questions about anything, please ask.”

“Okay, what exactly is a Pokémon?”

“The best way to describe us would be creatures that each have their own innate set of powers, for example, as a Sneasel, my specialty is ice and dark related moves, or in your case, a Riolu’s specialty is fighting, though Pokémon do have the ability to branch out from their usual typing,” L explained, staring up at the sky. “I don’t know for sure exactly how many kinds of Pokémon exist, but there are at least hundreds.”

“Okay, I think I got the general idea of them, and where are we?”

“On a beach just beyond a place called Treasure Town, it’s relatively small, but the Pokémon there are friendly.”

Light blinked, feeling hopeful at the mention of a town. Maybe someone there knows who he is, or at the very least, could have seen what happened overnight. He was about to ask L if he could lead him there when a strange looking blue bat and purple ball of gas shot out from behind one of the rocks. The bat rammed into L’s back, sending him tumbling into Light as the two fell over, both letting out surprised yelps. The necklace around L’s neck went flying, landing in the sand between them and the two ruffians. Light grunted, helping L up. “Are you okay?”

L nodded slowly before facing the two brutish creatures. “You know that hurt, right?”

“Whoops, my mistake!” The bat creature snickered, flapping his wings rapidly while turning to his partner. “Though you really should watch where you’re standing, whataya think, Koffing? Heh-heh-heh!”

“Whoa-ho-ho! Yeah Zubat, this little freak was just standing in our way as we were passing by!” Koffing bellowed out in a laugh.

“In your way!? You attacked him! Why did you do that for!?” Light demanded, balling his paws into fists. His face scrunched up as the toxic fumes emitting from Koffing’s pores wafted his nose.

“Maybe we just wanted to mess with him. What are you two gonna do about it? Heh-heh-heh!” Zubat then looked down at the necklace. “Well, lookee what we got here!”

“Some sort of treasure? Whoa-ho-ho! We’ll be taking that!” Koffing nodded to Zubat, who snatched it up with a wing. He then turned to L, who was watching blankly. “Really? No reaction? Not gonna try to get it back? Well, your loss, freak!” The two bolted past L and Light, going into the cave behind.

L turned his head slightly. “So, they finally decided to come out, huh?” He muttered to himself. “I knew I was being followed, but to think that they would have the guts to pull a stunt like that with someone else present. It’s rather impressive, if not, downright stupid.”

Light stared at the cave in disgust, gritting his teeth, before pulling at L’s shoulder. “Well don’t just stand there, we have to go after them!”

“It’s just a rock, you know,” L simply replied with a shrug.

“I don’t care if it’s just a rock, they attacked and stole from you! They can’t just get away with this! Now are you coming or not!?”

A sliver of a grin crawled on L’s face as he nodded. “I’ll lead.” He walked past, going into the cave while Light followed close behind.

Inside, the cave branched into many different paths, the rocky walls were different hues of blue, while the ground was peach colored and damp, with moss growing from some of the rocks. Light froze, breathing out in awe while taking everything in. His head ached from the windiness each path seemed to lead just from peeking at them. It felt as if the very walls around him were shifting. The strong scent of salt water lingered and only worsened the throbbing as he turned to L in hopes he knew the way.

L scanned through each corridor, scratching his chin, before beckoning Light to follow and scampering down the one to the right.

As they walked through, the sound of clicks and splashing echoed in the pools of water beside them, though they were far enough not to be a problem. A few purple bivalve mollusks rested on a couple rocks, eyes closed and snoring softly. Pink coral swam through the clear pools, before surfacing, revealing two narrow, oval, black eyes that blinked curiously at the two before submerging again. The path continued straight for a few minutes until it suddenly veered left.

L paused, lifting his claws up to stop his companion, and peered into another opening. A blue and green sea slug creature was slithering around in circles, its eyes narrowed in irritation as it blocked the next corridor. “How well do you know how to fight?” Light gave him a blank stare. “That’s what I thought. Well, now would be a good time to show you. That over there is a Shellos, which is feral in a place like this. We’re likely going to be attacked if we pass by. I’d imagine since you’ve only just become a Riolu, you’d know a move like Quick Attack. I’ll distract it, and you run at it as fast as you can and tackle it.”

“Wait, hold on, what—?”

Light couldn’t finish as L darted out from his hiding spot, grabbing the Shellos’s attention. It puffed its cheeks out before spewing mud from its mouth in L’s direction. He jumped out of the way and continued racing around it, while the Shellos was becoming increasingly annoyed and letting out loud cries. Despite his hunched posture, L was surprisingly agile on his feet, appearing as a blur in the Shellos’s eyes before disappearing.

Light stood there, mouth agape at L teasing the Shellos, before shaking his head and kicking his feet against the damp, rocky surface. He bent his knees, squinting at the feral Pokemon as energy built up inside him. It felt incredible as he rushed out, a line of light appearing behind him, and rammed into the Shellos, sending it flying back a few feet.

The Shellos shook its head, glaring at Light and letting out a squelching cry of anger, as it spat mud at his face.

Light yelped, wiping the mud off, though his vision was slightly blurred. Despite this, he could still see the Shellos fairly well, and immediately retaliated with another Quick Attack, knocking it into the air.

The Shellos screamed in fear, spinning a few times before crashing into the ground, getting knocked on the head and fainting. It let out a dazed groan while its body seemed to sink a bit.

Light winced at seeing it get hit on the head and rubbed his own. He turned to L expectantly. “How was that?”

“Not bad for a first battle,” L replied, reaching into his bag and pulling out a torn up blue scarf, before handing it to Light.

Light smiled slightly and nodded a thank you, using it to wipe off the mud residue, before handing it back. Without another word, the two continued their trek through the cave. Occasionally, L would come across a berry or seed, examining before placing it in his bag. Meanwhile, each time they crossed a wild Pokémon, L would stand by and let Light get in some practice. It started becoming second nature to the Riolu, like he had been a Pokémon his entire life.

Soon, the two found their way to a dead end, the sand returning under their feet, as ahead, Zubat and Koffing were watching the opening in the cave walls. They were surrounded by sea water and rocks with nowhere else to go. L stepped up and cleared his throat, making them turn around.

Zubat cackled, flapping his wings in a taunting matter. The rock was still caught in his wing, waving with each flap. “Well well well, looks like the freak decided to show up after all! Heh-heh-heh!”

“Aw, and he brought his little friend too. Whoa-ho-ho! I didn’t think you had those,” Koffing added with a smirk, gas puffing from his pores. “Come back here for your little rock?”

L didn’t say a word, pulling the strap of his bag from his shoulders. His eyes stared straight ahead, wide, but at the same time focused.

“C’mon, say something! Otherwise, we just might sell it! There has to be some high price for a pattern like this! Heh-heh-heh!” Zubat roughly threw the rock necklace up from his wing, before catching it again and doing a spin.

Light was about to shout at the two when L handed him the bag, making him nearly fall over. Placing his left foot behind him for balance, he pulled it over his shoulders before watching the Sneasel.

L kicked his right foot out multiple times, humming as Koffing and Zubat continued going on about how much of a freak he was, though he seemed to be blocking it out. Cold wind swirled around him as ice coated his foot. In a blur, he rushed Zubat, before spinning and landing a chilling kick on his torso. Ice particles cracked from the impact, fluttering around until they melted away. Zubat let out a gasp, before taking a swifter and stronger kick to the jaw, staggering in the air and falling, landing in the sand face first. L looked up, seeing the rock go flying, and reached to catch it between his claws, placing it around his neck.

Koffing’s eyes went wide, staring at his partner in horror as sweat dripped down his face. He gritted his teeth. “H-Hey! You can’t do that, y-you freak!”

L crouched, biting at his claw while fidgeting with the rock. “Light, would you do me a favor and deal with this useless ball of gas.” He gave a hint of a smug grin, as Koffing stammered, trying to make a comeback while spitting angrily.

Light smirked, cracking his knuckles and chuckling. “With pleasure.” He dashed towards Koffing, kicking up sand as he tackled the poison type, sending him back a few feet. The bag made him stagger slightly, but he quickly regained balance from widening his stance.

Koffing didn’t seem to take too much damage from the hit, taking a deep breath and expelling poisonous gas from his mouth.

The gas surrounded Light, making him cough as a wave of sickness came over him. The overwhelmingly toxic smell made his eyes water. He covered his mouth and nose with his right arm to protect himself as the gas slowly faded. A ripple of pain shot through his throat, making another cough shake his body.

Koffing took advantage of Light’s bout to ram and send him skidding into the coarse sand, grinning smugly. “Come on, is that all you got!? Whoa-ho-ho!”

Light pushed himself back up, roughly wiping the sand from his hair as his brown eyes darkened. Despite the poison, he still had plenty of energy left in him. He blocked out Koffing’s taunts, kicking up sand between him and his adversary to conceal himself. A wry smirk flashed on his face at the sound of a surprised grunt before dashing at Koffing in another Quick Attack. He rammed the poison type in the face this time, holding onto him tightly.

Koffing gasped in surprise and shook his body roughly, attempting to pry Light off him. He let out a yelp of pain as the Riolu suddenly bit him, the cry overpowering Light’s quiet growl of disgust. Koffing squeezed his eyes shut and gritted his teeth, unable to strike back.

Looks like I win! With a smirk, Light pulled himself on top of Koffing and kicked off his head. He did a dramatic flip in the air like an acrobat, glancing at L who was watching him with a claw curled over his mouth in interest, before focusing his energy and dashing down at blinding speed. A loud crack echoed through the quiet cave as he slammed into Koffing, sending him into the sand. The poison type bounced once before fainting. Light landed next to him, stretching his arms with a smug grin.

“I must say, that was rather impressive,” L chimed in, walking up and reaching into the bag. He pulled out a pink berry and handed it to Light. “Here, it’ll heal your poison.”

Light eyed the berry cautiously before taking and biting into it. The flavor was incredibly sweet, and he blinked as the effects of the poison disappeared like they were never there. “Whoa, that’s incredible! But how?”

“Pecha berries are rather potent,” L replied and walked over to the fainted Koffing and Zubat. He loomed over them, his bangs casting a shadow over his face. “Now, I don’t know if you know this, but stealing is a crime. I do have connections to the police and could arrest you right here and now, but you don’t want that do you?”

Koffing and Zubat pressed against each other, shaking as they got up. “N-No, you don’t need to do that!” Koffing stammered.

“Then get out of here, and if I catch wind of you two stealing from anyone else, I will personally hunt down and catch you,” L leaned back. “Do you understand?”

“U-Understood! H-heh-heh-heh!” Zubat and Koffing zipped off in a flash, leaving L and Light alone.

L brushed his claws through his hair, scratching the back of his head. “Well, certainly wasn’t expecting that today, but it gave me quite a bit of insight.”

Light stared back at where they came from, his brow furrowed. Silence filled the once battle-ridden cave. He gazed at the disturbed sand, which was piled in scattered places from the scuffle. His lip drew back in a scowl as a question built up in his mind. “Why did you let them get away?”

“I believe we taught them enough of a lesson,” L replied, picking up his rock between his claws. “It’s not worth getting the police involved over something as small as this, and if those two are smart, they won’t pull another stunt like that.”

“But what if they do though?” The thought of them causing more trouble made him growl. This felt like a huge mistake letting them get away. What is L thinking?

“Then I’ll arrest them, they’re not difficult to deal with,” L said simply and started walking back where they came from. “Why don’t we get out of here, don’t want to be caught off guard by anymore wild Pokémon.”

Light nodded as the two trekked back to the beach. His thoughts lingered on the two ruffians getting away. They attacked L, insulted and stole from him, and he let them go? Sure, we beat Koffing and Zubat, but shouldn’t they be locked up for their actions? How can L be so sure this won’t happen again? And saying those two weren’t worth the polices’ time feels… arrogant. Though Light couldn’t ignore the burst of pride he felt in his chest from taking down Koffing. If those two did cause trouble again, he wanted to be the one to deal with them.

As the two finally made it to the beach, the sky began darkening to a night blue, while the stars blinked awake, greeting any Pokémon still roaming about. Seeing them felt reassuring, like an old friend he hadn’t seen in so long. He looked back at L. “So what exactly is that rock?”

L took it between his claws, pulling off and handing it to Light to see. “It’s called the Relic Fragment, a rather important treasure of mine with quite the interesting pattern on it. I found it one day while exploring.” He teased his lip slightly with a claw while studying it. “It’s not like anything I’ve seen before. Perhaps it leads to somewhere unknown, who knows.”

Light took in the pattern in awe. The swirls circling around it, followed by the wings that meet down at the center, gave off an aura of something ancient. No wonder this would be something of value. Wait… Light jerked his head up, eyebrow raised in confusion. “If this is an important treasure to you then why did you say it was just a rock?”

“I was seeing how you would react to that situation.”

Light tilted his head back, his tail straightening up before his eyes lifted in understanding. “So, this was a test.”

“Precisely, you catch on quick,” L carefully took back the Relic Fragment, putting the necklace around his neck. “I’m part of an explorers’ guild that is northeast of Treasure Town, which is dedicated to helping Pokémon in need, discovering new places, finding treasure, and apprehending criminals. As the days pass, the rate of crime has increased dramatically and have become more elaborate. Acting as a solo explorer nowadays has made it a challenge for catching criminals acting in such a way. You seemed to have some potential. Therefore, I was curious to see how you would react in the face of such an act, though those two pale in comparison to others I’ve seen.”

“And what do you think?”

“You’ve exceeded my expectations,” L replied, though his monotone voice made it hard to tell if he was being sincere. “Even with amnesia, you didn’t hesitate to step in. You seem to showcase a strong sense of justice that could prove beneficial. Would you be interested in joining my team, which is called Team Task Force? Joining would mean also becoming a member of the guild. You would be given shelter, food, will be rewarded for jobs, and perhaps, if we’re lucky, you’ll be able to find the key to unlocking your past memories.”

So, he wants me to join his team? That must be why he was being so wary the entire time. He has a strange way of reading others, though that’s not necessarily a bad thing. This feeling that I’ve met him somewhere is still there. Maybe I can ask him about it later. It’s not like there’s anywhere else to go. Teaming up with L might not be a bad idea. Light gazed into the horizon, seeing the last bit of sunlight fade away to night. A gentle breeze blew through his hair, and he closed his eyes, humming with a slight smile. Perhaps it was a sign of a new beginning. He turned back to the Sneasel, reaching out a hand. “Alright, you’ve convinced me, L.”

L shook his hand. “Excellent, welcome to the team, Light.” He released Light’s hand, looking northeast. “The guild isn’t too long of a walk from here, though we do have to climb quite a few stairs. Once we arrive, we’ll get you registered and begin tomorrow. Does this work for you?” When Light gave a nod, L beckoned him to follow, leaving the beach behind as they started making their way to the guild.

Chapter Text

“Well, here we are.”

Light tilted his head to the side gazing up at the building before him. This is a guild? The building seemed rather small to be one and was placed at the peak of a cliff. It was built in the shape of a strange looking pink rabbit creature, the eyes of it hollow with wood planks placed diagonally in them. The creature was smiling brightly, though the eyes paired with it unnerved him.
 

Near the base, muted yellow drapes were pinned down by stakes, while the center was rolled up in an opening. Along the drapes were red swirls like the one on the creature’s head. At the sides of the building were totems of unfamiliar Pokémon, lit torches, flags sharing the colors and patterns of the drapes that billowed in the wind, a couple of trees, and stakes tied together and planted into the ground. He took note of the gate keeping the entrance closed and the strange hole in front surrounded by rocks with a grate covering it.

“So, how exactly are we supposed to get in?” Light asked, raising an eyebrow as he turned to L.

L didn’t respond, instead walking forward to stand on the grate. Below him, a loud shrill voice called out, making Light nearly jump out of his skin.

“Pokémon detected! Pokémon detected!”

“Whose footprint!? Whose footprint!?” An even louder, deeper voice called out.

“The footprint is L’s! The footprint is L’s!”

Light blinked, his fur bristling at the yelling. They look at your footprint? “What exactly is this? Some kind of security system?”

L looked back, pressing a claw gently against his mouth. “Yes, that would be correct. Our sentries Diglett and Loudred oversee the security. They examine the footprint of anyone who stands over this grate and from there decide whether or not they are suspicious and either let them in or tell them to leave.”

“Is that right?” Light cupped his chin. How can they tell by a footprint if someone is suspicious? Do they have a list of Pokémon who absolutely can’t enter, or maybe a list of criminals? Aren’t there multiples of the same kind? What if someone gets mistaken for one of those criminals? Is there some way to distinguish two Pokémon of the same species?

“HEY! L!” The deeper voice boomed again, a hint of amusement in his tone. “You know you’re late getting back, RIGHT!? Chatot’s gonna SCOLD you the moment you walk in!”

L rolled his eyes slightly, crouching down to look into the grate. “Yes, well I would have been back sooner, but something important came up that I’m sure he’ll understand,” He replied, not fazed at the voice’s words. “Speaking of which, I have someone with me, Loudred.”

“Well get that stranger on the grate then!”

L stood back up and walked off the grate, facing Light expectantly. “That would be you.”

Light squinted suspiciously. The wooden sticks seemed to be thick enough to hold someone like him, but the openings where they intersected left him suspicious. One wrong move and his leg could slip through. Or he could get caught and trip. This feels more like a safety hazard than a security system.

“YO! STRANGER! What are you WAITING for!? HURRY UP!” Loudred yelled impatiently, and Light could have sworn he could hear furious stomping from within.

With a defeated sigh, Light carefully stepped onto the grate. He couldn’t tell how far down the hole went from how dark it was, nor could he see signs of any Pokémon. All he knew was they could see him.

“Pokémon Detected! Pokémon Detected!” The shrill voice, who Light assumed was Diglett called out.

“Whose footprint!? Whose footprint!?”

“The footprint is… uh… The footprint…”

Light blinked in surprise. Does he not know? He turned to L, whose eyes were squinted as Diglett stammered.

“What’s WRONG Diglett!? Who is it!?” Loudred yelled, irritation lacing his voice.

“Er… I think it’s Riolu’s? Maybe Riolu’s? I don’t know, you don’t see them around here often!” Diglett called back, starting to sound nervous.

“What do you MEAN maybe!? You’re supposed to know these things!”

L sighed as the two below started bickering. He walked over to Light, opening the bag that was still around his shoulders and pulled out a clear gummi between his claws. As he popped it in his mouth, he dug through again, pulling an apple out by the stem and offering it to Light.

Light smiled slightly at L, gratefully taking the apple. In the adrenaline, he hadn’t noticed how hungry he was. He carefully sat on the grate, tuning out the bickering, and bit into it. The juicy sweet flavors swam through his tastebuds, while his growing hunger pains eased. It didn’t take long for him to finish it and toss the core into a nearby bush.

“Sorry to make you WAIT!”

Light and L exchanged glances, both standing back up in anticipation of what Loudred would say. Light felt his heart race, questioning whether he would be allowed to come in or not.

“While it’s true you don’t see Riolu around here often, that doesn’t make you suspicious,” Loudred started. “And considering you’re here with one of our fellow apprentices, that’s good enough for me! You may ENTER!”

The ground rumbled around the guild and a loud clattering reverberated from inside. The grate slowly lifted, giving them passage to enter. Light sighed with relief while holding a hand over his chest.

“Sorry about that delay, nothing else should get in the way from here on out,” L said, walking in with Light close behind.

Inside, the building was reinforced by wooden pillars while patches were stitched into the cloth walls. Above were lush ferns hanging from the pillars at the sides, while muted orange and red banners with patterns of the rabbit, zigzags, and lines were draped along the walls in front. A bulletin was planted to the left, though Light couldn’t tell what it said, while to the right, an arrow pointed downward.

 In front, a yellow ladder stuck up from another hole surrounded by smooth rocks. The ladder looked more like a pole with smaller poles tied horizontally as the steps. The two carefully climbed down, Light surprised by how stable it was.

As he stepped off the ladder, his eyes widened, and mouth gaped in awe. The whole room was expansive, built with stones varying in warm hues and muted yellow wooden columns holding the foundation. Huge windows were carved into the stone on each side, round at the top and flat at the bottom while ferns and vines hung from the ceiling. Near the ladders, as well as to the far left and right of the room, the floors were rugged while at the center, it flourished with bushes and soft grass. Light could see bulletin boards built into the walls on each side of the room with papers pinned to them.

Teams of Pokémon were scattered around the room, each in their own discussions. He could hear that the closest ones, a white mongoose with a red jagged marking on his face and long claws, a green mantis with sharp scythes, and a yellow shrew with brown quills, were gloating about their latest successful job. Though as he and L walked further into the room, Light caught the mongoose shooting a wary glare at them. What was that about? He shook his head, focusing on taking in everything else. “Incredible, this place is a lot bigger than it looked. I would ask if it’s underground, but considering we can see outside, it’s safer to assume it’s built into the cliff, right?”

L's eyes lifted, a sliver of a smile creeping on his face. “That would be correct. You have astute observational skills.” He fidgeted with the Relic Fragment, leaning a bit closer to Light. “That’ll be most useful when we’re apprehending criminals.”

Light rubbed the back of his head, reveling in the burst of pride he felt at impressing the Sneasel again. “That’s reassuring to hear. So, are all of these Pokémon members of the guild?”

“No, most of them have long graduated but still come here as this is where a majority of the job offers circulate, however,” L gestured to a brown beaver and yellow and green sunflower Pokémon, who were both conversing while looking at the bulletin board to the right. “Bidoof and Sunflora are both apprentices here.”

At the sound of his name being said, the beaver named Bidoof whipped around, waving at L excitedly. Sunflora craned her head to the left, greeting them with a kind smile.

Both waved back at them, and Light caught another smile on L’s face, though this one felt warmer, more genuine. He was about to ask another question when a loud squawk blared through the floor. Bidoof and Sunflora jumped, while the other teams turned away.

“THERE YOU ARE!” A small bird, whose head was shaped like a black music note, with blue, green, and yellow feathers, a pink beak, yellow talons, and black tail that resembled a metronome, shot out from the ladder, wings flapping rapidly while he was huffing angrily. He flew at L, stopping only inches away with squinted eyes. “Do you have any idea how late it is!?”

“Well, judging by the position of the moon when we entered, I’d say about an hour after sunset,” L replied, not flinching in the face of the angry bird, whom Light could guess was Chatot based on what Loudred said. From the board, Bidoof winced, ears drooping, while Sunflora facepalmed and sighed.

“Oh, so you’re going to be a wise guy again, huh!?”

“I was just answering your question,” L bit at his claws, though his posture was relaxed and eyes lidded like this was something he was used to. “Though it wasn’t my intention to be out this late, I simply ran into trouble getting back and met someone interested in joining the guild.”

“I don’t want to hear your excuses y— wait!” Chatot flew back, letting out a surprised squawk as the flapping of his wings slowed. “Joining the guild? As in joining your team?” His eyes softened when L nodded slowly, a sliver of a smile crawling up his beak. He cleared his throat and flew to Light, flashing a wing up as he landed with a greeting. “Welcome to the Wigglytuff Guild, my name is Chatot, Guildmaster Wigglytuff’s right hand Pokémon and head of the guild intelligence. And who might you be?”

Light was a bit thrown off by the bird’s sudden change in attitude, but quickly straightened his posture, giving a polite smile. “My name is Light; it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“And a pleasure to meet you as well. How exactly did you and L meet?”

Light stiffened, taking note of the Pokémon around who now had their eyes on him in curiosity. How would they react if they heard his story? They’d think he was crazy right? I can’t have a bad first impression on these teams. “If it’s all the same to you, I’d like to discuss how we met privately with the guildmaster.”

“I see… well, that can certainly be arranged if it’s that important,” Chatot flew up, making his way towards the ladder leading down before landing on the post. “We’ll need to meet with him anyways about registering you as an apprentice. Come this way.” He dove down the hole, Light and L following.

The bottom floor was much quieter, having only two Pokémon in the vicinity. One was purple with a huge mouth and sporting big round ears like speakers waiting idly by another hole with a green-vine-looking ladder sticking out. The other was an ultramarine frog with black and white markings and orange cheeks that was standing in a stone structure in his likeness while messing with a cauldron of what Light could only guess was poison. There were two hallways to the right and left, though he couldn’t tell where they lead to. In front of them, as he turned around, was a door with a red swirl on it.

“And here we have the guildmaster’s chambers, you seem like a respectful Pokémon, so I’m sure you’ll know not to be discourteous of him.”
 

“Of course not, why would I be discourteous to someone running an establishment like this?” Light praised, giving a charming smile. “It must take a lot of work to keep things running smoothly here, I would be a fool to be rude to him.” The sigh of relief that Chatot exhaled in response to Light’s comment sent enough of a message. He must have had a lot of issues with Pokémon disrespecting the guildmaster in the past. But even if it was to get on Chatot’s good side, every word was genuine. Why would anyone try to disrespect the guildmaster?

“Well, I’m sure he would be happy to hear that from you,” Chatot chirped before pecking at the door. “Guildmaster? It’s me, Chatot. L and I are coming in with a guest.”

The door opened, leading into a small room with banners hung from the ceilings like the ones on the top floor. Two treasure boxes were set at each side, filled with coins and a variety of treasures that would make anyone’s eyes sparkle. Two torches were lit near the middle, being the only source of light in the dim room. At the center, standing on a red rug, was a pink rabbit Pokemon with white ear tips wearing a maroon cape and had his back turned.

Chatot cleared his throat and bowed. “Guildmaster, L has brought someone who wishes to join as an apprentice.” No response. He tilted his head to the side. “Uh… Guildmaster?” There was still silence until…

“HIYA!” Wigglytuff whipped around, striking a pose with the biggest turquoise eyes that Light had ever seen. “My name is Wigglytuff! It’s nice to meet you, friend! Oh, are you joining L’s team?”

“That would be correct, Guildmaste-ahhh!” L yelped in surprise as he was suddenly lifted in a hug by Wigglytuff. He didn’t hug back, but Light could see him leaning into it and close his eyes.

“That’s great L! You’ve made another friend!” Wigglytuff beamed pridefully like a parent whose kid just shared a drawing they poured their heart and soul into. “I knew you’d find someone to join your team! Oh!” He gently set L down, directing his attention on Light. “How rude of me, I didn’t get your name, friend!”

Light couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight, L dizzily regaining his balance and retaining a neutral expression while Wigglytuff was giving a warm, friendly smile. The two were so drastically different in personality and yet he could sense a solid trust between them. Light held out his hand. “My name is Light; it’s an honor to meet someone as respectable as yourself.”

Wigglytuff gave his nubby hand, shaking Light’s. “It’s really nice to meet you, Light! How long have you and L known each other? I didn’t know he made another friend!”

“About that, Guildmaster, we only just met today,” L said, looking at Light expectantly.

“The truth is L found me on the beach earlier,” Light started, maintaining eye contact with Wigglytuff. “I don’t have any memories of my life before this, all I remember is there was a storm, my name, and that I was once human. Don’t get me wrong, I’m joining here because I want to help catch criminals and rescue Pokémon in need, but I’m also hoping to one day rediscover who I am. I know it sounds crazy but please believe me.”

Wigglytuff exchanged an awed glance with Chatot, before smiling again. “Don’t worry! I believe you Light!”

Light sputtered. “Wh-What!? Just like that!?”

“Yup! We’re friends now, right? That means I believe you!” Wigglytuff giggled, doing a little dance. As he finished, his expression became more serious, though his voice was gentle. “I also have another reason to believe you.”

Another reason? “What is it?”

“About fifteen years ago, something similar to what you’re going through happened in the Air Continent,” Wigglytuff explained, recalling the story like it was a fond memory of the old days. “A human one day woke up as a Skitty, with no memories of her past, only her name and that she was a human. I knew her as a friend when working there as a merchant, and she and her partner saved the world from a great disaster.”

Light held his breath. If this wasn’t the first time this happened, then maybe he could find her. He approached Wigglytuff with persistence fueling him. “Is there any way I can meet her? Is she still around?”

Wigglytuff gently patted his head, which he would’ve not been too pleased about if he wasn’t so desperate. “Her team is one of the highest-ranking ones in the Air Continent, so her paws are usually tied with taking care of high-level jobs, but I could write a letter asking when’s the soonest she could visit.”

Admittedly, Light didn’t want to wait; the anticipation was already eating at him. That and hearing she’d saved the world made him more curious. He wanted to ask for more details but at the same time wanted to hear from the one who knew it best. Perhaps guild work would take his mind off his worries for the time being. He bowed politely at Wigglytuff. “I’ll be sure to take full advantage of our time if she shows up.”

“And in the meantime, we can also keep an eye out for any keys that could lead to unlocking your memories. The world is such a mysterious place with so much left to be discovered.”

Chatot lifted his head thoughtfully. “Yes, I will admit, your whole story does sound a bit out there, but you don’t seem to be the type of Pokémon to lie about something as serious as this. And considering Guildmaster’s story, I’m more inclined to believe you.”

Light sighed with relief, feeling the weight lift from his shoulders with having more Pokémon who believe him. “Thank you, it means a lot.”

Wigglytuff nodded. “Of course, friendly friend! Now, since you’re joining L as a partner, you won’t need a team name, so we’ll just get straight to registering you as a member! Registering… All registered!” Light squinted his eyes, unsure of how exactly Wigglytuff registered him. “YOOM TAH!” A burst of soundwaves echoed through the room, nearly blowing everyone back with the guildmaster’s yell.

Light blinked and shook his head in a dazed state when the waves died down. What just happened? If Wigglytuff could nearly blow someone away just from yelling, how strong was he? Chatot shook his ruffled feathers out while L, who saw it coming, unplugged his ears.

“Congratulations, you’re now officially a member of the guild and Team Task Force!” Wigglytuff cheered, as if he didn’t just make the room shake. He hopped to one of the treasure chests, shuffling through the coins and gadgets until he pulled out a badge and maroon scarf. “These are for you, an explorer badge and a scarf to signify your membership of the guild.”

Light took them, carefully examining the badge. It was circular, mostly white with light yellow wings extending from the sides. There was a silver button at the top and a dark green button at the center that seemed to be shimmering.

“Not only is your badge a symbol of being in an exploration team, but it also will send Pokémon that you’ve rescued back to the guild safe and sound. Plus, once your jobs are completed, it’ll send you back too! Usually, new members start at normal rank, but considering you’re joining an already established team, you’ll be starting at bronze rank instead!” Wigglytuff explained, his ears twitching with excitement. “And that scarf is really special too, when you wear it, it’ll give you a little attack boost!”

“Really? How is that even possible?”

“Dunno, but the Pokemon who made them is super talented!”

Light sighed at Wigglytuff’s carefree reply. Perhaps Pokemon have the ability to imbue their power into the fabric of these scarves and share it with others? He shrugged and wrapped the scarf around his neck, tying it from the front to look like a tie. Something about it felt right this way. “How do I look?”

“You look great!” Wigglytuff cheered and clapped while L gave an approving nod. “It’ll surely help on your adventures. Now, you’re only an apprentice here, so do your very best and learn everything you can from your peers!”

Light bowed gratefully. “Thank you, Guildmaster, I will.” He then turned to L. “Would you like me to keep holding onto the bag?”

L shrugged. “That’s not necessary unless you wish to.”

Light took note of L’s already hunched over posture. The bag was a bit heavy but not anything he couldn’t handle. It would be better for L’s back if he kept it. “I don’t mind holding onto it.”

“Very well,” L replied. “Why don’t I show you to our room, it’s getting late anyways, and we don’t want to risk Chatot blowing a fuse because we weren’t in bed.”

Chatot’s lower beak dropped and if he had ears, smoke would be spewing from them. He let out an annoyed squawk. “Now listen here! Just because you had a legitimate excuse to be late doesn’t mean you can sass me like that!”

“How is it sassing when it’s the truth?” L asked, pressing a claw against his mouth in thought.

“Right! I think that’s our cue to leave!” Light swiftly grabbed L’s arm, waving a goodnight to Wigglytuff and Chatot. “Thank you again for the warm welcome!” He frantically pulled L out of the chambers before Chatot could spontaneously combust.

“Goodnight, friends! Sleep well!” Wigglytuff called back happily while Chatot let out an exasperated sigh.

~~~~~~~

The two walked into a small room, which had a nice little round window, vines and roots along the walls, and a fern hanging from the ceiling. At the center were two beds made of what appeared to be some kind of wheatgrass. Light grimaced at the sight of them, which L took notice of. “They’re actually quite comfortable.” He stepped into one and crouched down, gazing at Light expectantly with wide eyes.

Light put his hands on his hips and walked over to the other one before sitting down. The texture was surprisingly soft, though he noticed a few edges were burnt. “What happened here?”

L breathed in sharply, crawling over to Light’s bed. “That one has been like that for a while, it was from the last team who slept here. It was never a problem since it was just me for so long but…” He fidgeted with the Relic Fragment and brushed his claws against the burnt edges. “I can sleep in this bed if you want to switch.”

“Wouldn’t it be better to just switch the bedding?”

“I don’t mind,” L insisted and nudged Light off before climbing in himself.

You sure are strange, L… Light thought before laying back on the other bed and smiled slightly. But you did help by bringing me here so… you’re not that bad.

“Now, tomorrow is going to be a busy day, I think it would be beneficial if we went over the different type match ups so you’ll be ready, how does that sound? We can focus on what benefits you best.”

A part of Light wanted to just go to sleep, but if they were going to be busy tomorrow then it probably wouldn’t hurt. He sat back up, crossing his legs and nodding as L went into his spiel.

It was fairly easy to follow at first, fighting beats rock because you can break rocks by punching them, same with shattering ice, but how exactly do you punch the darkness? Obviously, you can’t punch a ghost, Light was able to figure that out quickly when L quizzed him, though apparently there’s a move called foresight that makes it possible.

“So, here’s my next question for you, Light,” L stared at him quizzically. “If you and I were to suddenly fight each other, who would have the advantage?”

Light covered his chin with a hand, closing his eyes in thought. Sure, the easy answer would be that he has the advantage but… “Well, if we’re going by type matchup’s alone, the odds are heavily stacked against you. I mean, one fighting move and you could get knocked out in an instant. But there’s one problem with that, I don’t know any fighting moves yet, and I’ve only been a Pokémon for a day. You were able to knock out Zubat in one move, and I don’t doubt that the same would have been true for Koffing. You’re also a lot faster than I am which would be a problem so, realistically you’d probably win, but if we were at equal level, the odds would lean more in my favor.”

L nodded at Light’s response. “I should correct that there’s a good chance you know Counter, but that move hinges on you being hit by your opponent first and not being knocked out. Then you attack at double the power they have dealt you. Aside from that, your thoughts are quite insightful, which means you understand…” His gray eyes darkened. “Just because you might have a type advantage doesn’t mean you should get careless. You never know what kind of trick your opponent may be hiding.”

Light stared, trying to read L’s expression, but it was too guarded for him to figure out. He leaned back, folding his arms. “You do have a point there, but it’s also true that you can use it against your opponent if they start getting careless, that just might be the opening you need to win the battle.”

“Yes, that would also be correct, it’s good you’ve picked up on this,” L glanced out the window before noting Light’s yawn. “Get some sleep. If you have any questions tomorrow, I can answer them.”

“Sounds like a plan, night.”

“Goodnight.”

Light laid back in his bed, sighing as he could finally go to sleep. Admittedly there were a lot of questions he still had, but none of them could be answered. At least not right now. But now that he was here, maybe he could one day answer them. Especially once he meets this other human. As he drifted off, he noticed that L wasn’t sleeping. Wouldn’t he be tired? Light decided not to worry about it for now as he dozed off.

~~~~~~~

“HEY! WAKE UP!”

Urgh…! What the hell…!? Who’s screaming!? Light shot awake and glared at the source, that same purple Pokémon he saw the night before. He knew that voice from the grate. Loudred. A growl rumbled in his throat as he pushed himself up, his ears ringing. “Okay, okay, I’m up, sheesh!”

Loudred let out a jovial laugh. “HAHA! Welcome to the guild! Name’s Loudred! Good to have you here!” His face suddenly turned serious. “NOW GET MOVING! The morning announcements are about to begin.” Before Light could reply, he stomped out of their room.

Light put a hand over his face, dragging it down slowly and letting out an annoyed groan. “Is this how it’s going to be every morning?” He pulled the treasure bag over his shoulder, straightening his hair while L stood up and scratched his left leg with his foot.

“No, I was just a little late in waking you up,” L replied with an amused grin on his face.

Light scoffed and rolled his eyes. You did that on purpose, jerk. The two finished getting ready before walking through the long hallway, seeing the other apprentices heading into the main room. Once there, Light could recognize Sunflora and Bidoof chatting with a white and red Pokémon which resembled a wind chime. He also recognized the frog to their left, who had been working in the cauldron the night before and now looked bored.

Behind Light, Loudred yapped loudly to a red crustacean, who looked annoyed being woken up, and a brown mole like Pokémon with its head sticking out. To their left was another mole, only this one had three heads instead of one and looked like he could be the other’s father.

Chatot was waiting by the door with his chest puffed out. Upon seeing everyone gathered around, he cleared his throat. “Well, everyone seems to be present.” He pecked at Wigglytuff’s door. “Guildmaster, we are ready for you!”

The door opened as Wigglytuff walked out.

“Thank you, Guildmaster! Please address the crew.”

There was silence as Wigglytuff stared blankly at everyone until he started snoring.

Light squinted his eyes. Is he asleep? With his eyes open!? Whispers rose from the other apprentices.

“Oh Guildmaster… you never fail to surprise us…”

“Oh my gosh! Is he really asleep!?”

“Yup yup, he really is having quite the snooze. I’m honestly kinda jealous.”

Ah, I see why Chatot warns other Pokémon not to be discourteous of Wigglytuff now. Light shook his head in amusement at the exasperation on Chatot’s face as he covered it with a wing.

“Yes, thank you for your… inspiring words,” Chatot folded his wing in, putting his professional demeanor back on. “As I’m sure you all have heard, a new member has joined the guild, I’d like to introduce you to Light, who will be joining Team Task Force from now on. Everyone be sure to say hello and make him feel welcomed here.”

There was an echo of oooos from the apprentices as they all greeted him quietly. Light puffed out his chest, soaking in all the attention and greeting everyone back. When they quieted down, Chatot grabbed everyone’s attention once again. “With the announcements out of the way, it’s time for our morning cheers! And a one, and a two, and a—!”

“ONE! DON’T SHIRK WORK! TWO! RUNAWAY AND PAY! THREE! SMILES GO FOR MILES!”

“Okay Pokémon! Time to get to work!”

All the apprentices raised their hands in excitement. “HURRAY!!!” As the cheer died down, everyone scattered, getting ready for the day.

The cheer sounded a bit cheesy and seemed as though it would get annoying fast. But at the same time, a warm feeling weaved through Light, energizing him for the first day on the job. He stretched his arms and rolled his shoulders, taking in the sunlight pouring into the main room. Beside him, L shuffled through the bag and pulled out a couple of gummis before nudging Light to follow. The two climbed up, L skillfully managing with one hand while carrying his breakfast and heading to the bulletin board to their right.

“Now, I’m not going to start your first day with fighting a criminal, that would be unfair,” L took a bite of one of his gummis, talking as he chewed. “We’re going to start with something simple, but before I pick something out, there’s a few things you need to know.” He paused.

“I’m listening.”

“The cave we went through yesterday is called a mystery dungeon, which are quite the peculiar places. Their layout changes every time you go in, different items, different corridors, even different traps, though I’ve noticed the type of Pokémon you can find tend to stay the same. Something about the air of the mystery dungeons causes the Pokémon living in them to go wild and attack anyone who crosses them. Mystery dungeons have been appearing all over the continent as of late.”

Light nodded slowly. “Do you know why they’ve been appearing?”

L took another bite of a gummi as he stared at the board. “This is all speculation, but we believe that the flow of time being thrown out of balance is making them form. While no one is certain if this is true, it’s one hundred percent confirmed that it has been causing more Pokémon to wreak havoc, resulting in an overflow of jobs for us exploration teams to handle.”

Time being thrown out of balance? What does that even mean? Is it something related to the cycle of time itself, like when day and night begins and ends? Or is it something more? Light’s brow furrowed as he grunted in confusion. “I don’t quite get it yet, but I do understand there’s a lot of work to be done and we need to be careful in these mystery dungeons.”

“It is a rather tough concept to grasp, perhaps one that’s out of our hands,” L hummed, though the interest in his voice gave the impression that he wouldn’t let it stop him from figuring it out. He popped the rest of his gummis in his mouth before reaching for a job. “This one should be a good start, I’ll read it.”

Hello,

My name is Spoink. An outlaw stole my most precious pearl and ran off with it. I can barely live properly without it atop my head. But I’ve heard that it’s been sighted in a dangerous rocky bluff. I could never go somewhere like that! Oh please, brave explorers, find my pearl and bring it back to me.

-Spoink

“Just retrieving a pearl…? Seriously…?” Light slouched forward. “Come on, L, surely there’s something better to do.”

“Well, if we don’t help them, then their heart might stop beating.”

Light jumped back. “What!?”

“Spoink are known for always bouncing, but if they stop, then their hearts stop as well,” L explained as if it were common knowledge despite the severity of his words. “And if not having the pearl is throwing them off, then it’s only a matter of time before they stop bouncing too. You don’t want that, do you?”

Light pressed his lips together, eyes wide as he blinked twice. “No, I don’t. Okay then, we’re helping Spoink.”

~~~~~~~

The trek to their destination, Drenched Bluff, took the two about an hour. The entrance was aligned with huge stones covered in moss while smaller stones were scattered in the open. Without a word, the two made their way in.

Light took note of how it felt as if the walls were shifting again. It must be because of how the layout changes each time. The rocky ground was silver while the walls were a mix of olive green and pale brown. He could see more pools of water in the distance but noticed they were murkier compared to the cave they went through last night.

L took the lead again, carefully looking through each corridor for wild Pokémon while Light picked up the items they came across. He noted that a majority of them were apples and gummis, though he did also come across a few seeds and even an orb. One seed in particular was a darker tint of orange with heat radiating from it.

“Hey, what does this seed do? It feels warm,” Light called out.

“That’s a blast seed,” L replied without looking back. “It explodes if you throw it, or you can breathe fire temporarily if you eat it, though the feeling is not particularly pleasant.”

A seed that explodes… why am I not surprised? Well, it could be useful for later. Light carefully placed it in the bag, taking note that a few Pokémon were ahead, who L told him were called, Anorith, which there were two of, and Lileep, which there was only one of.

One of the Anorith were sharpening their claws on a rock while the other was staring warily at the Lileep. As the team came closer, the three wild Pokémon glared at them. The Anorith sharpening its claws made the first move, darting at Light in preparation of an attack.

Light held his arms up, wincing as his opponent’s claws scratched them, thankfully not breaking skin but still painful. He glared at the Anorith, feeling the pain turn into energy as he drew his fist back and launched it to the other wild Pokémon. The Lileep cried out angrily and began charging at them.

L met the Lileep’s challenge, his foot coating in ice for a Triple Axel as he spun and kicked it in the head. It went flying into the water with a splash before resurfacing as it fainted.

The other Anorith reared up behind him, scratching his left arm. L gritted his teeth slightly, brushing his arm as he slowly limped to his attacker as if in pain, making them chirp in confusion, before he struck underneath it, sending it flying towards Light.

Light dashed into it with a Quick Attack, noting its hard shell protecting it, before grabbing and throwing it at the one close to fainting. They tumbled on the ground and cried out angrily. Before they could react, Light pulled out the blast seed and hurled it at them. It burst into flames, a loud boom rattling the dungeon walls which overwhelmed the two Anorith’s cries. When the flames died down, they were lying there with their armor charred and completely knocked out. Chunks of rock were blown from the ground below them.

“That’s one way to deal with them,” L commented, raising a brow.

“It was the only way I could do some real damage to them,” Light retorted in irritation, snapping the bag shut.

“For now.”

Yeah, it would be nice if I knew some better attacks. As the two trekked through the dungeon, Light focused on fighting the wild Pokémon while L navigated. Without another blast seed, taking down the rock types took much longer than he would care to admit.

Using Bite weirdly did more damage than Quick Attack. According to L, it’s a dark move, though Light couldn’t fathom why. It was more efficient than waiting for the wild Pokémon to strike first, relying on Counter to do enough damage, and he wouldn’t be wasting oran berries.

The only problems were that his teeth started hurting after a while, and he could only imagine that he looked like a rabid Riolu with how much he was biting anyone who crossed him. It was far from the image he wanted to keep in front of L: a levelheaded, strategic, and competent member of the guild. The sooner he could get a more effective fighting move, the better off he would be.

Speaking of L, Light noticed that he was constantly on guard, only striking when needed. He even seemed to be on guard around Light. Does L trust him, or was he like this around the other guild members too? Obviously Wigglytuff was an exception, but Light couldn’t figure it out otherwise. When they got a chance to breathe, he rubbed his aching jaw and got his teammate’s attention. “Hey L, can I ask you something?”

L hummed, peeking around a corner to make sure there were no wild Pokémon. “What is it?”

“Are you friends with anyone at the guild?”

L paused, biting at his claw as he stared at the ground. “Well, you could say that I’m on good terms with my fellow apprentices, while Bidoof and Sunflora act like they’re fond of me,” He replied and met Light’s gaze. “Though I suppose you’re my friend now, if you wish to call me that.”

You suppose? The response puzzled Light. Bidoof and Sunflora greeted L so warmly before. Surely, he would see them as friends, right? Or maybe that’s his way of saying it? He gave a half-hearted smile, wondering if the Sneasel was being genuine with that last part. “I would like that.”

L hummed and looked ahead, noticing a glint in the distance. “I see it.” He scampered through another corridor, Light following close behind. It led to a fountain flowing down stone steps, with a pink pearl resting near it. L quickly snatched it up and pulled out his badge. “Ready to go back?”

Light pulled out his own badge and nodded, pressing the green button as L did. A yellow light swirled around them, shooting up as they were warped out of the dungeon.

~~~~~~~

            “Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you for finding my pearl!” Spoink cheered, bouncing happily with the pearl returned safely on her head. Chatot observed from the job notice board with a pleased look on his face. “I don’t know what I would have done without it!”

            Light smiled politely. “It’s no trouble at all; happy we were able to help you.”

            “This doesn’t even come close to repaying you but here is your reward!” Spoink bounced over to L, giving him a protein, calcium, zinc, and two thousand poké dollars.

“Whoa, hold on, this much money? Are you sure?” Light asked, feeling as if their job wasn’t worth that much.

“Of course I’m sure, my pearl is worth way more than this,” Spoink bounced higher and closed her eyes. “Thank you again, Team Task Force! See you later!” The three watched as she skillfully bounced up the ladder.

L walked over to Chatot after she left, handing him the money, while Light blinked in confusion at the gesture.

“What are you doing?” Light asked.

“Most of the reward money goes straight to the guild, considering that your training is free, it covers expenses such as maintenance, food, medicine, other stock, mailing, and sponsorship fees for the Exploration Federation,” Chatot explained, shuffling through the money. “Guild members get to keep a cut of the pay, though it’s only ten percent.”

Ten percent!? That’s only two hundred poké dollars! How is that fair!? Light held his tongue, not wanting to get on Chatot’s bad side. He had already made such a good impression; he wasn’t about to ruin it now. “I see.”

“Which reminds me, here L,” Chatot pulled out some more poké dollars, “Officer Magnezone has sent the reward money for catching Leavanny yesterday, your cut is five hundred poké dollars.” He carefully counted it out, handing it to him.

L nodded, opening the bag and pulling out a pouch to place their money in. “Thank you.”

“Of course, dinner should be ready soon, hurry down.” Chatot flapped his wings and flew to the bottom floor.

Once he was gone, Light’s eyes drooped as he gave L an annoyed look. “Only ten percent? Even if we go on a dangerous job?”

“I’m afraid so, but it can’t be helped right now,” L replied with a shrug. “We did get a little extra than what you expected.”

“But that was something you did.” Light covered his face and shook his head, before speaking in a muffled voice. “Though… it did feel good to see Spoink so happy, I guess.”

L chuckled. “I understand it’s frustrating, frankly we do deserve more of a cut, but for now this is the way things are, we’d have to take this up with the federation if there’s any hope for change.”

Light groaned and dramatically stared at the ceiling with his arms stretched out. “Don’t tempt me, or I’ll do it!”

L covered his mouth and snorted quietly in amusement, which caught Light by surprise. “Focus on building up your reputation before planning to meet with the federation.”

“Yeah yeah, whatever,” Light huffed and rolled his eyes, still not against the idea of meeting with them to give them a piece of his mind, even if he didn’t know exactly who or where they were.

A bell suddenly rang through the guild, making L flinch slightly, as an airy voice called out “Thank you for the wait, everyone, dinner is ready!”

Light noticed the way L flinched, a hint of fear flashing in his deep, intense eyes, before returning to the way he was like nothing happened. What was that? Did the sudden noise startle him?

It didn’t seem like he was going to be getting any answers as L began walking towards the ladder, craning his head back and calling, “We don’t want to keep everyone waiting now, do we?”

I can’t expect him to tell me everything immediately, I guess, Light reasoned with himself. It’s not like I had much to tell him about myself anyways. Must be nice to be able to keep personal things about yourself private. He hid a grimace, following L when he cleared his throat impatiently.

~~~~~~~

            Dinner was absolutely lively, as all the apprentices gathered around the long, rectangular table to begin eating. A spread of apples and berries were made on each plate, the scent making Light’s stomach growl. Beside him, L had a plate of sweet berries and gummis which he was tearing into while listening to the other apprentices converse.

            “So, Light!” Sunflora called after finishing one of her apples. “What do you think of the guild so far?”

            Light swallowed a bite of the apple he took, relieved that his teeth had already stopped hurting, and set it down. “It’s been nice so far, everyone’s been very welcoming, and the work seems to be good.” He smiled, soaking in all the attention he was getting.

            “That’s good to hear, yup yup!” Bidoof replied with a goofy smile. “So where are you from?”

“Yeah, we’ve never seen you around here before, hey hey!” Corphish, the red crustacean looking Pokémon, added with an oran berry in his pincers.

Light looked down for a moment. Should I tell them? It would be nice to have extra help, and I can’t exactly lie about where I’m from. I don’t know this place well enough. He gazed at the apprentices who watched him on bated breath and locked eyes with Wigglytuff. The guildmaster gave a small nod and smiled. “I actually don’t know where I’m from.”

“Really?” Diglett asked, popping his head up higher so he could see better, oval eyes sparkling with curiosity. “Do you remember anything? What happened? Did you get into a fight with someone?” He breathed in with childlike wonder. “Did you wiiiiiiin?”

Light couldn’t help but be amused by the kid’s flood of questions. “The only thing I remember is my name, that there was a storm, and one other thing.” Probably best not to tell them he was once human yet. “I wasn’t hurt when L found me, just soaking wet,” He then winked at Diglett, holding his arms behind his head and grinning pridefully. “Though I could have won if I did get into a fight, who knows.”

“Coooooool!” Diglett squeaked, his head raising up and down in excitement.

“So, you have amnesia?” Loudred asked, before pointing at L and shouting. “YOU MEAN LIKE L!?”

L dropped the gummi he was eating, glaring at Loudred, his wide eyes furrowed. He didn’t utter a single word, but anyone could see the subtle anger building up. His claw jabbed the gummi he dropped as he finished it off.

“Loudred!” Sunflora scolded.

“WHAT!? Does he not know!?” Loudred glanced at Light, realizing the bomb he dropped was new information for the Riolu. “Oh shoot! Uh… I mean… NOT LIKE L!?” He stammered, sweat dripping from the side of his face, as everyone else stared at him in disappointment. “I thought he knew!”

“Well maybe you should consider thinking about whether he knew or not before opening your big mouth,” L muttered, not taking his eyes off the loud Pokémon.

Loudred flinched, closing his mouth and looking away while eating the rest of his dinner quietly.

Light stared at his partner, shocked at the sudden revelation. He has amnesia too? That… can’t be a coincidence, right? What are the odds that two amnesiacs happen to meet and live here? He had so many questions, but kept them to himself, not wanting to anger L any further. Instead, he directed his attention to the others, accepting what he was about to reveal, and raised his hand to blurt out, “The other thing I remembered was that I was once human!”

Everyone stared at him and collectively gasped. Bidoof was the first to speak up. “Y-You were a human?”

“But how is that possible? Hey hey, do you have any proof, Light?” Corphish asked, waving his pincers around and giving a suspicious look.

Light could feel the skepticism rising from everyone, but at least they weren’t focused on L’s secret being revealed. “I don’t, but it’s the only thing I have about my identity other than my name. You can choose whether or not to believe me, but… L did, and so do the guildmaster and Chatot. I’m hoping that one day I can figure out who I am. Maybe me being human is a false memory, and I’m just crazy. Maybe Light isn’t even my real name, who knows? But I do know this, I don’t want to be alone in this place trying to figure out who I am. I already have help to start but at least letting you all know would take a lot of stress off me. It’s okay if you don’t believe me. Just… don’t share this with anyone outside the guild please.”

Everyone looked at Loudred, who scratched the side of his head. “Er… I’ll be more careful.”

Light sighed with relief, though everyone was silently debating whether to believe his story. Finally, Sunflora stood up from her place and walked over to Light, taking his hands.

“I believe you, Light,” She gave him a bright smile. “I promise to do everything I can to help you regain your memories.” She then looked at L. “Just like I promised you.”

A bit of the anger eased as L gave her a slow nod, though he was still tensed up.

“Yup yup! I believe you too!” Bidoof added, waving his front leg.

Everyone slowly confirmed their belief in Light, the wind chime Pokémon who he learned was Chimecho being just as reassuring as Bidoof and Sunflora, though he could tell that Corphish, the frog, who he learned was Croagunk, and Dugtrio, the three headed mole who was Diglett’s father, all were hesitant. He couldn’t exactly blame them, though he was relieved they were courteous enough to not deem him insane. At the same time, he couldn’t ignore how L hadn’t spoken a word aside from chastising Loudred. As dinner concluded, everyone made their way back to their rooms.

Light paused at the entrance of their room, a hint of concern in his voice as he asked, “Are you okay? I didn’t know Loudred was going to say that.”

L didn’t meet his gaze, walking to his bed and crouching down with his back turned to Light. “It wasn’t your fault Loudred blurted out that information. Now you know, and nothing else can be done about it. I’m fine.”

Light didn’t believe him. Despite mostly maintaining his usual neutral voice, he could still pick up the slightest edge of irritation, and he had every right to be upset. Something so personal should have been said on his own terms, though Light doubted telling him would help now. “If you’re sure.”

“I am,” L replied sharply before pausing and turning to meet Light’s gaze, a hint of gratefulness in his eyes. “I do appreciate you redirecting their attention. You didn’t have to tell them you were human.”

Light shrugged and crawled into his bed. “They were going to find out eventually,” He replied, stretching and letting out a gaping yawn. “Besides, you said I could call you a friend, right? It would be pretty messed up if I didn’t have your back, especially considering how it’s because of you I’m even here.”

It was faint, but Light saw it. A sliver of a warm, genuine smile on L’s face, similar to the one that he had shown to Bidoof and Sunflora last night. “I suppose that’s true.”

Light smiled and curled up, knowing nothing else needed to be said. “Well, I’m going to get some sleep now. Goodnight, L.”

“Goodnight, Light.” L gazed out the window, looking as if he wasn’t going to sleep again.

Light slowly closed his eyes, intrigued at knowing L also has amnesia but feeling dirty at how he got the information. He knew it wasn’t his fault, but Loudred wouldn’t have said a word if he just made something up. Though he didn’t want to become known as a chronic liar to his fellow apprentices either. At the very least, the revelation gave him a further connection to his teammate, and their conversation made him hopeful that it would only be a matter of time before L trusted him.

Chapter Text

Morning light poured into Team Task Force’s room, welcoming the new day. The heat made Light sigh as he nestled deeper into his bed, wanting to sleep a little longer. A claw gently poked him, and he grunted, trying to push it away, only to be poked a second time. His eyes fluttered open, blinking away the sun’s rays as L stepped back and let him wake up. He stretched, feeling his back crack, and sighed with relief. “Morning,” He hummed, standing and straightening his hair as best as he could. “Did you get any sleep last night?”

L fidgeted with his Relic Fragment, a claw tracing along the flowing pattern with his head tilted to the side, studying it carefully before responding, “I don’t typically sleep.” Considering the dark circles under his eyes, Light wasn’t surprised. What didn’t make sense was how he was able to function as well as he did with no sleep.

“Aren’t you tired?”

“No,” L simply replied, bringing the Relic Fragment closer to his face and twisting it around to look from multiple angles. His brow furrowed and he released it, letting it swing along the string. “Did you sleep well?”

Light nodded, pulling the treasure bag over his shoulders. So many questions lingered in his mind, but he couldn’t tell if L was still bothered from the previous night and elected not to ask for now. Loudred’s morning call echoed from another bedroom, signaling that the other apprentices would be getting up soon. The two finished getting ready, following the others through the hallway. At the end, Loudred was waiting, twiddling his fingers while gazing into the crowd.

“Good morning, L! I uh… just wanted to apologize for last night,” Loudred stammered, struggling to maintain eye contact with the Sneasel. “Sorry about that.”

L didn’t even look at him. “What’s done is done,” He muttered, though his tone had a sharp edge to it that made Loudred flinch. “As a reminder, think next time before opening your big mouth.” He brushed past him, leaving the normal type speechless.

Light glanced at Loudred, unsure of whether he should pity him or not, before following L, who was now crouched in the main room. Seeing L biting at his claws while staring at the ground, he asked quietly, “Are you sure you’re okay?” He sat next to the Sneasel, trying to read his dark gray eyes covered by his messy ebony bangs.

L breathed in heavily, lifting his head to meet Light’s gaze. “What happened last night doesn’t matter, there are more important things to worry about… like catching criminals.”

A burst of excitement pounded in Light’s heart, though not completely overshadowing the concern. Did it really not matter? His thoughts were conflicted, wanting to push a little more, but it was clear L wanted to change the subject. The excitement won over, his brown eyes brightening at the idea of catching a criminal. “Really? Just like that? It’s only been a day.”

“That is true, but frankly, if I made you wait any longer, you’d start complaining again,” It was faint, but Light could hear the tease in L’s voice. “Unless you don’t want to.”

“Hey, don’t put words in my mouth, of course I do!” Light exclaimed, which earned a few stares from his peers that he ignored.

L chuckled, pushing himself up as Chatot called for Wigglytuff. “That’s what I thought.” After the morning cheer, the two made their way to the next floor, seeing graduate exploration teams already coming in and taking turns on finding their jobs. They walked over to the bulletin on the right. “This is where we post all notices on criminals. Our guild is in collaboration with the police station just on the outskirts to ensure the safety of Treasure Town. You’ll get the opportunity to meet the members of the police eventually.”

The police, huh? Something stirred in Light’s mind. Something that seemed… familiar, maybe? It was a similar feeling to the one he had when first meeting L. But, why would he have the same feeling for a whole organization? Did he once know someone in the police? Or is there a chance he was once a part of it? Or was it all just a coincidence? He stared at the board, squinting as if it somehow held all the answers. “It surprises me that criminals even have the guts to commit crimes with two powerhouse organizations hunting them down.”

 “Well, some of them are much stronger than others, the chief personally ranks each criminal based on how strong, cunning, and organized they are. There are some that certain teams wouldn’t even dare try to pursue which is…” He grimaced, closing his eyes. “Understandable, though there’s always a risk no matter what criminal you pursue, or even whatever rescue job you go on.”

Light turned to L, a question forming in his mind. “Has any of them ever killed anyone?”

L nodded slowly. “It’s rare for a case like that to happen, but it has before,” He replied, staring intensely at the board, “As things start to worsen, and Pokémon become more aggressive, it’s only a matter of time before it becomes more common.”

“Then it sounds like we all need to play our part in making sure it doesn’t.”

A small smile crawled on L’s face. “You would be correct,” He tilted his head to the side, raising a brow as a few teams were butting heads over who chose what criminal. “Though perhaps we could prepare first and then come back. You haven’t gotten to see Treasure Town, anyway, so now would be a good time to show you around.”

Light nodded, looking forward to seeing what the town was like. He heard a small huff from the lower floor and noticed Bidoof climbing up the ladder. Giving a friendly wave, he smiled at the brown beaver. “Good morning, Bidoof. Are you doing alright?”

Bidoof beamed, adjusting the mossy green scarf tied around his neck and hopped up to Light and L. “Why yes sirree! I’m doing great today, yup yup! Are you two about to go out on a job?”

“Not yet, we’ve still got some preparations to do first,” L replied, a warmth giving life to his monotone voice as he smiled at Bidoof. He rubbed his chin before asking, “Would you be interested in helping me show Light around Treasure Town?”

Bidoof gaped excitedly, his eyes shimmering. “By golly, you want me to help?” When L nodded, he nearly bounced up, cheering, “Yup yup! I would be mighty happy to show him around!” He teared up a little, sniffling, but the joyful smile didn’t falter. “It’s real nice to finally have someone around to be a mentor to! Before you came around, Light, I was the rookie member. And L here showed me the ropes!”

Light blinked curiously at L, noticing him look away with an aloof expression, and smirked.

L cleared his throat. “Anyone would have shown you around, it really isn’t that big of a deal.”

“But you did though!” Bidoof insisted sincerely, “And you’ve always been so nice to me ever since! Yup yup!”

L stared at the ground quietly before smiling again at Bidoof and rubbing the back of his neck. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome!” Bidoof hopped over to the ladder. “Are you ready to see Treasure Town, Light?”

Light nudged L teasingly, earning an eyeroll from his partner, before following Bidoof. “Lead the way.”

Bidoof nodded, guiding him out of the guild with L following close behind. A few white clouds rolled in the sky while a gentle breeze ruffled the trees. They passed a few more exploration teams entering the guild, some glancing curiously at him, though he didn’t bother paying attention. The three arrived at the crossroads and veered right, leading into the bustling small town.

Many of the townsfolk were either strolling by or chatting idly with each other. Along the road there were multiple businesses that exploration teams stopped by. The closest one was gray, in the shape of a ghostly Pokémon with a skull and red eyes. The base was made of stone, neatly bricked together making it seem like a fortress. At the sides were treasure boxes filled with poké dollars and bags with a blue P dyed into them. Floating in the building was a Pokémon that shared the likeness of it, the eye holes in the skull revealing the inside to be hollow with a single glowing red iris that swayed from side to side.

“This is Duskull Bank! Yup yup!” Bidoof declared, gesturing the building with a front leg. “Duskull here is in charge of storing everyone’s money and keeping it safe, there’s no one better at it than he is!”

Light cautiously stared at the unnerving ghost type, who was staring back at him silently. He couldn’t tell what Duskull was thinking, or if he was even expressing any form of emotion. It was as if the skull on his face was too rigid to even show one ounce of feeling.

“Speaking of which, I need to withdraw some money from him,” L replied, walking up to Duskull. “Good morning, is business well for you today?”

Duskull fluttered up, his arms waving in a flowing motion while his eye froze at the left eye hole to stare at L. “Indeed… it is… hee-hee,” His voice was echoey, with a low, whispery tone to it. “And how… may I be of service to yoooou?”

“I need one thousand poké dollars from my account, please,” L requested, showing Duskull his badge as proof of identity.

“Of coooourse,” Duskull drifted around, floating into the bank. He had a vault set up in the back, which he phased through. A few minutes later, he came back out with a pouch, handing it to L. “Here you go… is there… anything else I can doooo for you?”

“No, that’s everything, thank you.”

“Hmmm… and who is this with yooou?” Duskull asked, his body tilting to the right while gesturing to Light.

“Ah yes, I suppose I should introduce you,” L fidgeted with the pouch, loosening the string holding it shut and absentmindedly twirling it around his claws. “This is Light, he has recently become my partner. He’s still new to this area so we’ve been showing him around.”

“I seeeee… hee-hee-hee,” Duskull’s eye seemed to light up as he chuckled ominously. “How interesting… it’s a pleasure to meet you… I dooooo hope you come by more often.”

Light suppressed a shiver and forced a smile. “Yes, pleasure to meet you too.”

“We should be going now, Duskull,” L said, looking into the distance where a few more buildings were.

“Very well… I look forward to hearing of your exploits.”

The two walked back to Bidoof, who continued leading them through town. Light made note that a few of the businesses were currently closed but would eventually reopen. One was called Electrivire’s link shop, which was a tent with a face of a yellow electric type Pokémon with stripes across its eyes and two bulbous antennas. Apparently Electivire had the ability to help Pokémon use multiple moves simultaneously while also helping relearn old moves. That could be useful once it reopened.

Down south was Chansey’s daycare and Marowak Dojo. Chansey’s daycare was a cute little pink building in the likeness of an egg-shaped Pokémon with three tufts of hair swerving to each side. There was a rosy, pink rug resting in front of the entrance with no one in sight. Bidoof explained that when Chansey is back, her job is to care for eggs while parents go on explorations. Some teams have even been given eggs as rewards for their jobs. Light raised an eyebrow, questioning why that was the case. Maybe they didn’t have the means to care for it, or they found the egg abandoned, or even both. At least there was someone like Chansey to care for them and put parents at ease while they worked.

Meanwhile, Marowak Dojo was a much larger building that resembled a mountain with bones along the red rooftops and a skull at the center with two banners at the sides of the entrance. Peeking inside, Light noticed the dojo had collapsed and was currently under construction as a Machoke and two Machop worked tirelessly. Based on the name, it became clear that this was a place where Pokémon came to hone their skills. Perhaps the last group got a bit too rowdy and was the last straw to making the building collapse.

“Have you guys ever trained here before?” Light asked curiously.

“I have. Though a majority of the time, it was crowded which was less than ideal,” L replied.

Bidoof shook his head, looking concerned. “No sirree, by the time I had the chance to stop by, it had already collapsed. Poor Marowak has been out of business for a few months now. Yup yup! I sure hope he’s been doing okay.”

“I can imagine how tough it must be, maybe we can stop by once he reopens,” Light suggested, folding his arms and watching the fighting types work tirelessly.

“Maybe,” L echoed, though he didn’t seem too interested.

As they were further down the road, Bidoof gestured to a tent with the face of a green bird with wide, almond black eyes, and white wings with red and black tips. It was called Xatu’s appraisal, a place where locked treasure chests found in mystery dungeons could be opened, though it was also closed. Light imagined how much busier Treasure Town would be once the rest of the businesses were reopened to the public.

Their last stop was at two businesses standing side by side. The one on the right was run by two Kecleon, a chameleon Pokemon with a curled tail and red zigzag stripes, one being green and the other purple. Their building was a tent, shaped in their likeness with tails curled on each side, mostly green and yellow, but with pops of purple along the zigzagging collar. On each side, much like Duskull’s bank, were two treasure chests, only these ones were filled with berries and seeds.

The one to the right was run by a Kangaskhan, a large kangaroo Pokémon with a brown hide, black plate over her head, and a cream-colored belly with a pouch. Inside was a smaller purple baby Kangaskhan who was fast asleep. Kangaskhan had a warm, motherly look in her red eyes. Her building was built more sturdily compared to some of the others, made of brown stone and much like the others, built in her likeness. The three approached her first.

Kangaskhan smiled at them, giving an inviting wave. “Why hello L and Bidoof, it’s so lovely to see you on this beautiful morning,” She greeted, gently patting her baby on the head to coax her awake. “How are you today, dears?”

L nodded politely at her. “Doing well, Mrs. Kangaskhan. Thank you.”

“Yup yup! I reckon I’m doing pretty good too, Ma’am!” Bidoof exclaimed, waving at the baby as she blinked open her little eyes. “And good morning to you too, Junior!”

Junior waved back, giggling while Kangaskhan shuffled through a shelf under her counter, pulling out a clear bag of gummis tied in a little deep blue ribbon. “L, dear, I bought these for you as thanks for catching Leavanny,” She said graciously while handing over the bag. “I know they’re your favorite, so please enjoy them.”

L gave a wide smile at the sweets. “Thank you, it was the least I could do after how welcoming you were.” He then turned to face Light. “This is Mrs. Kangaskhan, she runs the storage unit here. Many teams rely on her to store their items when they have too many to carry around. She’s also become known as the town’s mother because of how many teams come to her for advice and encouragement.”

Light approached the counter, pulling the treasure bag up and taking some of the weight from his shoulders. “Nice to meet you, Mrs. Kangaskhan. My name is Light,” He offered a free hand. “I recently joined L’s team and the guild. He and Bidoof are getting me acquainted with everyone in town.”

Kangaskhan gently clasped his hand with both of hers and shook it, her smile becoming warmer. “Oh, it’s so wonderful to meet you, Light! Welcome to Treasure Town. I know it’s small, but I hope it becomes a place you can adore,” She then leaned in closer to whisper, “And you really did luck out on your partner. L is one of the finest apprentices at the guild, he’ll look after you.”

L’s ear twitched as he focused on the bag, carefully opening it and popping a few gummis in his mouth. “These gummis are quite delicious,” He mumbled in between bites and wiped a few crumbs away.

“I appreciate it, Mrs. Kangaskhan,” He chuckled, leaning against the counter. “I can see why everyone comes to you for advice, you have this warm and kind aura about you that makes you so inviting. It’s very refreshing.”

“Oh my, you’re far too kind! And quite charming too!” Kangaskhan let out a hearty laugh, patting him on the shoulder before nudging the treasure bag. “Is there anything you need me to take off your hands?”

“That would be nice,” Light replied, tugging L over so they could discuss what they didn’t need. The two looked over everything they had while L explained what certain items did. A lot of them were highly situational, such as the switcher orb being able to swap the users position with another Pokémon. There could be some use for that, such as getting an enemy into a flanked position, especially in a narrow corridor, but for now, they stored it away. By the time they were done storing what they didn’t need, Light felt as if he could move faster without having to worry about being thrown off balance. They gave Kangaskhan their thanks, which she smiled and told them to come back any time while Junior hopped on the countertop and waved excitedly.

Any lingering stress that Light could have been feeling, the worry of not feeling like he belonged, melted away as they walked to the two Kecleon’s business. Everyone had been so kind to him, so welcoming, even the guild members, who knew his secret. What were the chances that he ended up here of all places? He wasn’t sure, but it was the start of a perfect foundation that could lead him to rediscovering his past. He smiled as they approached the two Kecleon’s.

“This is Kecleon Shop and Wares! Yup yup!” Bidoof introduced. “Run by the Kecleon brothers, Kami and Leon! Kami is the green older brother, who sells food, seeds, scarves, you name it! And Leon is the purple younger brother who sells orbs and TMs!”

“Yes yes~!” Kami greeted in a sing-song voice, clapping his hands before he and Leon whipped their arms to the shelves. “Please take a look at our finest supply of goods you need for your journey!”

Leon nodded enthusiastically, giving his best customer service smile, which was surprisingly genuine. “You won’t find anything better elsewhere!”

Light and L gathered close together, taking a look at how much money they had and the inventory. They had three thousand four hundred poké dollars to work with and took note they were running low on food. Luckily, the brothers had plenty of apples in stock, so they purchased a few. In terms of berries, they had a few oran berries, and one of each that healed statuses, aside from pecha berries, which they bought one on the off chance of them getting poisoned again. L also picked up a reviver seed, which was fairly expensive, but it would save them if someone got knocked out. They also chose to buy an escape orb in case they were in a situation where they needed to get out quickly. With everything gathered, they were about to start heading back to the guild when…

“Mr. Kami! Mr. Leon!” Two young boys walked up, both blue, spherical mouse Pokémon with wide, round eyes. One was smaller, with white cheeks and a big round tail that he could bounce on, connected by a black zigzag. The bigger one had a white belly and a zigzag tail ending with a smaller sphere. They stopped next to the three, smiling up at the brothers.

“Ah, Marill and Azurill! How may we help you, my little friends?” Kami greeted with a gentle smile.

Azurill bounced on his tail, shyly asking, “May I buy an apple?”

Light felt his heart melt at the innocent question. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see L curling a claw over his mouth, a warm look on his face while Bidoof was beaming.

“Of course you may,” Kami shuffled through the shelves, getting a bag together for the apple so they could carry it home. Making sure the boys weren’t looking, he slipped an extra one into the bag and exchanged the money for it. “There you go, enjoy!”

“Thank you, Mr. Kami and Mr. Leon!” Marril exclaimed, holding onto the bag. “See you later!” He and Azurill bounced off, leaving everyone in a happier mood.

“Ah, what sweet, young kids,” Kami sighed, watching proudly. “They’ve really stepped up in helping their poor mother while she’s sick.”

“Oh yes, I’m sure Azumarill is so proud of them,” Leon replied, wiping down the counter and humming softly.

Light’s mouth gaped a bit at their conversation before staring into the distance. Azurill had to be around maybe eight years old and Marill probably ten, and yet they showed so much kindness and initiative by helping their mother, a testament to how they were raised. There was no doubt in his mind that they would grow up to be respectable Pokémon. He blinked in surprise when he saw the boys rushing back, calling Kami and Leon’s names.

“Welcome back! Is something the matter?” Kami tilted his head curiously.

Azurill was juggling an apple on his head, looking proud of keeping it balanced while also being worried. “There was an extra apple.”

“We didn’t pay for this many, did you mean to put an extra in here?” Marill asked innocently while watching Azurill’s act in awe.

Kami and Leon exchanged glances before chuckling fondly. “That, my friends, would be a gift from my brother and I,” Kami replied, pointing to the apple on Azurill’s head. “You’ve both been working so hard; you deserve a little treat to share.”

Marill’s eyes sparkled. “Really?”

Azurill bounced up, giggling cutely while the apple wobbled around. “Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”

“You’re very welcome!” Kami and Leon replied in unison, waving as the brothers began to walk off again.

The apple on Azurill’s head began to roll off, and he gasped, trying to rebalance it as he walked before stumbling forward. It tumbled behind him, rolling to a stop in front of Light, who picked it up. Azurill shook his head, shyly walking over to Light, blushing from embarrassment. “Um… S-Sorry, sir.”

Light chuckled and carefully balanced the apple on Azurill’s head again. He paused, his hands inches away as it steadied itself, not even daring to breathe on it. Once it stopped moving, he slowly backed away. “There you go. Just like before.”

Azurill smiled sheepishly, his eyes sparkling. “Th-Thank you!”

“No problem, you’re quite talented at balancing that apple, I’m impressed,” Light complimented, folding his arms with an approving nod. As he did, a ripple of dizziness surged through his head, making him wince. What the…? The dizziness intensified, making him sway slightly. What is this…? His eyes turned blue, the shape of a light blue gear spinning in his iris as his vision went black, and he could have sworn he could see a beam of light rush through, followed by a flash. Everything went black again and with it, an uncomfortable silence. Voices murmured in his head, echoey, jumbled together, discombobulating, before they grew louder, turning into yells and cries. Light covered his ears, desperate to block them out. His eyes widened as a piercing scream tore through the voices and darkness.

“H-H-H-HEEEEELLLLLPPPPP!”

Light jumped, his vision returning as he looked around frantically. The scream was high pitched, childlike, the same voice as Azurill, but the kid was perfectly fine. He took a deep breath, composing himself as the boy blinked curiously.

“Mister? Are… you okay?”

Light searched for any sign of danger Azurill might be in. Nothing was there. He nodded slowly. “Yes, I’m fine. Sorry, I think the heat got to me a little bit,” He patted Azurill on the head, being careful not to disturb the apple. “You can call me Light, by the way.”

Azurill’s curiosity melted into an innocent, bright smile. “Okay, Mr. Light! Thank you!” At the sound of Marill’s voice calling, he turned and bounced away, maintaining balance on the apple as the brothers faded into the distance.

What was that scream I just heard? It had to be Azurill’s, right? But how could that be? Light felt someone shake his shoulder, blinking as he met L’s intense gray eyes, which searched through his inner thoughts.

 “It’s not hot enough for you to be affected by it,” L muttered as Bidoof walked up behind Light in case he got dizzy again. “What really happened?”

Light leaned closer, noting that Kami and Leon were staring in confusion. “Did you hear a scream just now?”

L shook his head, though the question piqued his interest. “I’m assuming you did, and it has something to do with you becoming dizzy?”

“My vision just suddenly went black. I saw a light, heard voices, and couldn’t concentrate,” Light shook at the feeling. “And then a loud scream cut through it all. It was Azurill’s, there was no way it couldn’t be.”

There was a silence between the three, as L bit at his claw, deep in thought as he analyzed everything Light said. “If you’re the only one who heard the scream, it could potentially be one of three things,” He brushed past Light, pacing as he spoke, “Either you are lying about hearing his scream, which I highly doubt, you’re hallucinating, which was induced by your dizzy spell, or this is a warning that something is going to happen to Azurill, and we should be on guard.”

“And which do you think that is?”

L breathed in. “Well, Treasure Town is a very relaxed place, hardly anything bad happens here, and if it were to, someone would notice it. The chances of Azurill being in danger is only one percent,” He paused, turning more serious, “But one percent is still a chance.”

Bidoof gasped quietly. “Gosh, do you really think somethin’s gonna happen to little Azurill?”

“We can’t say for sure yet,” L started walking ahead. “But I’m not going to ignore something like this even if it’s unlikely.”

Light nodded in agreement, following L as they continued down the road with Bidoof. Hopefully Azurill and Marill were still close by. Even if they were, he couldn’t just watch them from a distance. Other Pokémon might get suspicious and question what he was doing. A part of him was willing to accept that risk if it meant keeping the kids safe. He nearly bumped into L, who froze in the middle of the road, staring ahead.

Azurill and Marill were standing to the side with a yellow and brown tapir Pokémon, talking to him excitedly while he was nodding back at them. Every single warning bell went off in Light’s head.

It seemed L had the same idea too, as he approached them. “Hello again, I see you two have made a new friend,” He greeted, more focused on the stranger.

“Oh! Hi again!” Azurill greeted, the apple gone from his head as he bounced on his tail. “Yeah! This is Mr. Drowzee!”

“We lost a really special treasure a little while ago,” Marill explained, a bit more mellowed out compared to Azurill, but still sparkling with excitement. “But Mr. Drowzee said he may have spotted it and wants to show us.”

L clenched a fist, walking closer to Drowzee. “Is that right? And where exactly is this place that their treasure is located?”

Drowzee held his ground, giving a friendly grin to the Sneasel. “Oh, not too far from here, near the beach,” He replied vaguely. “It’s just a quick trip there and back, and I can’t just ignore kids in need. That would be quite heartless of me, wouldn’t you agree?”

Oh hell no. Light stepped up beside L, folding his arms. “I would, but…” He raised an eyebrow. “If you claim you saw it, then why not just bring it to them?”

“I couldn’t be sure if it was really their treasure, so bringing them along would confirm this,” Drowzee patted Azurill on the back, sending a sick feeling through Light’s stomach. “Don’t worry though, it will only be a minute. You have my word that they’ll be safe and sound.” He nudged the boys forward. “Shall we?”

Azurill and Marill nodded, smiling innocently as they started leaving town. Drowzee followed, bumping into Light as he passed and apologizing.

The same dizziness shot through Light’s head, stronger than last time. He gripped his head, falling to his knees as he groaned in discomfort. Not again… What is this…? Why is this…? L and Bidoof hurried to his side, L shaking him again while Bidoof called out frantically, but it was drowned out by the voices as Light’s eyes turned blue again and vision went dark. The same flash of light burst through, only this time… he could see something!

A mountainous region, near the peak, which resembled the end of a mystery dungeon. Jagged rocks were aligned with no way to escape except one, while along the furthest wall was a small hole. He could hear crying and see Azurill shaking without Marill, but he wasn’t alone. Drowzee was towering over him, with a sickeningly twisted grin.

“Now you better do as I say, or there will be serious trouble for you, boy,” He threatened, reaching for Azurill.

The boy recoiled, shaking fearfully as he cried out, “H-H-H-HEEEEELLLLLPPPPP!” The vision began to waver until it faded into darkness, and reality came back into view. A few of the townsfolk were watching with concern but seeing L and Bidoof were already helping put them at ease.

Light gasped for breath, shaking as he processed the vision. His face hardened with realization, not quite hearing Bidoof ask if he was okay as he stood up, glaring at where Drowzee and the boys had left. “L…”

“You heard something.”

Light shook his head. “I saw something.”

Another tense silence. L knew exactly what it was. “That’s enough for me then,” He said clenching his fists. Bidoof looked horrified as he picked up on the implication, though it quickly turned into determination. Without another word, the three hurried off in pursuit of Drowzee.

Marill was standing at the crossroads, trembling as he called out for Azurill, tears streaming down his face. “P-Please! Someone! Help!”

Light was the first to meet Marill, crouching down. “Where’s Azurill and Drowzee?” He rubbed Marill’s back, keeping calm to help relax the shaking boy.

Taking a deep breath, Marill huddled close to Light. “We were going to find our lost treasure, but then Drowzee suddenly took off with Azurill,” He sniffled. “I tried calling for them, but they didn’t come back… I… I’m so scared! What if Drowzee hurt him!?”

Bidoof pressed his head into Marill’s side comfortingly. “Shhh, there there,” He whispered. “We’re gonna get your little brother back, we promise. Yup yup!”

“But we can only do that if you show us where they went,” L added, crouching in front of Marill urgently. “Do you remember which way they were headed?”

Marill sniffled again, leading them northeast while L asked Light for details of where Azurill was in the vision. As Light described it to him, it gave L a good idea about where the two were headed based on the direction Marill was leading them. The trio picked up the pace, the grassy terrain slowly melting into the mountains, arriving at the entrance of a mystery dungeon, Mt. Bristle.

It was easy to recognize the jagged rocks that aligned the entrance and the dusty brown rocky earth. They shared the same features as the peak Light saw in his vision. He stepped forward. “This is it.”

“Bidoof, I need you to stay with Marill,” L commanded, biting his claw while examining the entrance of the dungeon. “Drowzee could potentially have an accomplice hiding, so Marill needs to be protected in case such a foe was to show themselves.”

Puffing out his chest, Bidoof nodded and kept close to Marill. “Yup yup! You can count on me!”

Marill looked up at Light and L, tears welling up again. “Please save him…”

L crouched in front of Marill, whispering softly, “We will, you have my word, but I need you to be brave for him too. Can you do that?”

Marill breathed in, closing his eyes before nodding.

“Good, we’ll be back soon.”

The duo hurried into the dungeon, the terrain more treacherous than the last two and the altitude increasing the further they went in. Light got a better idea of how to navigate through the dungeons. As they traversed through, he noticed certain corridors that were different from the others resembling stairs. L had made it a point to go through these corridors, which must have been the key to making progress. With this knowledge, Light could start taking the lead as needed, picking up the pace as he barreled past any Pokémon who dared get in his way.

Damn that Drowzee! Light thought, tackling a Starly with Quick Attack, slamming it into a wall as it fainted. How could he be so sick as to trick an innocent kid like Azurill!? I swear he’s going to pay for this! Scum like him deserves to rot! He swerved around a corner with L following close behind.

From above, Light could see a Geodude on a ledge, preparing to throw down a rock towards L. He bent his knees, launching himself in front of his partner with his palm stretched out. The rock slammed into his hand, a sharp pain crashing through his wrist as he winced, nearly being thrown back. Energy began building up through him, rushing up to his palms as he gritted his teeth. He let out a howl as the energy was unleashed from his palm in a bright blue light, sending shock waves that made the rock crackle into pieces. His eyes narrowed as he dove towards a wall, thrusting up towards the Geodude.

The Geodude let out a pained yell as Light slammed his palm into it, the energy bursting in its face as it was blown off the ledge. The ground around it crackled as it crash landed, fainting on impact.

L froze at the sight, slowly looking up at Light, who was still on the ledge panting heavily. There was a blistering anger in his eyes, almost burning red, teeth bared, and fists pulsating. It sent a shiver through L’s spine though he remained calm, his expression urgent and focused. “We need to keep moving,” He ordered, hurrying down the next corridor.

Light slid down the ledge, following L as he stared at his palms, feeling the power pulsing through them. A name echoed in his head. Force Palm. He grinned, flexing his fingers as the thirst for another fight grew.

“You should try to keep a level head, Light.”

Dropping his hands slightly, Light frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Drowzee is a psychic type,” L replied, casting him a warning glance. “If you act too reckless, he will take advantage of it.”

Light scoffed and rolled his eyes. “Please, I wouldn’t dream of letting him do that.” He clenched his fist. “He’s going to pay for his crimes. I’ll make sure of that.”

Something about the way Light said those words made L distance himself, making sure not to take his eyes off the Riolu. There was an uncomfortable silence between the two as they traversed the rest of the way through Mt. Bristle, until a familiar scream shattered it.

“H-H-H-HEEEEELLLLLPPPPP!”

The whole world froze. Drowzee was closing in on Azurill, who had his back to the wall, shivering and using his tail to protect himself. A faint glow illuminated the psychic type’s fingertips. Something snapped as Light sprinted towards them, a scream nearly tearing his vocal cords. The glowing of his palms intensified, preparing to strike Drowzee, narrowly missing as he jumped out of the way. Light’s palms slammed into the ground, making it crack as he slowly turned on Azurill’s abductor with venom in his eyes. “You stay the hell away from him…”

Drowzee stepped back, fingers still illuminated as sweat rolled down his cheeks. He let out a scream as L suddenly struck from behind with claws bared, and he swerved to the side with his guard up. “H-How did you follow me here!?” His body ran cold at the realization of who opposed him, pointing at the Sneasel. “You… I know who you are! You’re L, the cold-hearted pursuer!”

L's pupils were blown wide in the presence of his target. “And if I am? Knowing this isn’t going to save you from apprehension,” He flexed his claws, shifting his weight. “Did you really think we were going to let you just walk off with Azurill? Now, you have two options, come quietly or we knock you out. You can make this easy for us if you choose.”

Drowzee gritted his teeth, his body trembling as he recoiled. However, as he saw the blistering anger radiating from Light, the fear slowly transitioned to a scheming demeanor. “I thought you worked alone, as of late.” When he didn’t get a response, he laughed. “Well, if you really think you can take me, you got another thing coming!”

The glow on his fingertips intensified as four rocks surrounding them catapulted from the ground in the same glow, the edges dangerously sharp. He lifted his hands over his head, the rocks rotating around him, before thrusting them in L’s direction.

L gritted his teeth, flipping back as the first one pierced the ground before running up it and leaping from rock to rock. Wind billowed through his hair, casting his eyes in shadow as he lunged downward, raking his claws down Drowzee’s right shoulder, who recoiled from the pain.

Light dashed from left to right, taking the opportunity to strike as he bared his teeth and bit hard into Drowzee’s left arm, the iron taste of blood making him wince.

Drowzee growled in pain, but then smirked, a sinister expression shadowing his eyes as he focused his psychic energy on Light, tearing him from his arm, which left a nasty bite wound. Simultaneously, he lifted the rocks again, launching them at L, which kept the distance between them and prevented him from getting in the way.

It was impossible for Light to break free of the restraint as he tried desperately to move. He cursed at Drowzee who only cackled and flicked a single finger down. Light felt his heart skip a beat as he was sent hurtling down, wind battering his body. He couldn’t move, couldn’t block himself, couldn’t lessen the blow as his back and head collided into the ground, rocks flying everywhere from the impact.

“Mr. Light!” Azurill wailed out.

His head was spinning, a dull ringing echoing in his ear as he slowly pushed himself up. His hair was disheveled, body scraped up and pierced by smaller rocks, as he swayed dizzily. His vision blurred, not being able to tell what was happening in the fight.

Drowzee was about to lift Light again when L slid towards him, narrowly avoiding another flying rock, and sending a chilling kick to the face with the first hit of Triple Axel. Drowzee reeled back, ice coating his cheek before being flung back by a second kick to the chest. As L winded up the third one, the psychic type lifted another rock, hurriedly sending it towards his adversary.

The rock crashed behind L, sending a shock wave that threw him off balance and stopping the final kick. Drowzee lunged forward, slamming his fist into L, attempting to knock him against the rock. L winced, digging his left claws into the rock before launching himself onto the psychic type.

Drowzee was knocked on his back, growling as L swiped at his face and chest, blocking with his arms. The glow of his fingertips began to falter as he attempted to grab L’s arms.

Light could see that L and Drowzee were locked in hand-to-hand combat, though he couldn’t tell who was winning. His vision was still blurry as he stumbled to them, his fists beginning to glow intensely. As he got closer, he could make out the shape of Drowzee, though L’s lithe shape was on top of him, moving in fluid motions. He clenched his fists, preparing to strike.

Drowzee’s head tilted in Light’s direction, and he smirked, waiting for the right moment. As Light was pulling his palms back, Drowzee grabbed L’s wrist mid strike, forcing himself up and using the Sneasel as a shield.

Light thrusted his palms forward and the energy exploded between him and the two, a loud scream making his eyes widen. The world slowed as the blurred shape of L dropped in front of him. He stumbled back, shaking and staring at his palms in horror.

L coughed weakly, electricity sparking from his body and he brought his knees up to his chest, covering where Light struck him. His body shook as he reached for his dazed teammate, attempting to get his attention and grab an oran or cheri berry. He let out another yelp when Drowzee kicked him, rolling on his stomach, digging his claws into the ground as the psychic type dug his heel into his back.

Drowzee sneered, reveling in the sight of L’s condition. “So, this is the power of the cold-hearted pursuer, huh?” He spat down at L with a twisted smirk. “I’m not so impressed. Though it is a shame, you would’ve won if you didn’t have a partner.”

That seemed to hit a nerve as L glared at Drowzee. “Shut… up…”

Drowzee laughed maniacally. “Oh, that’s cute! So, you do have a heart, huh!? Seems like it got you nowhe— ACK!!!” He reeled back, feeling arms wrap around his neck, releasing the pressure off L.

Light was clinging to Drowzee’s back desperately, his arms attempting a sloppy choke hold as he bit again into his enemy’s shoulder where L initially struck. A yell of pain made the ringing in his ears intensify, but he held on, despite the dizziness.

L weakly pushed himself up, wincing as electricity jolted through, nearly making him fall again. He limped to Drowzee, watching him and Light struggle, before opening his claws and striking swiftly at his cheek with a Feint Attack. There was silence as Drowzee stood frozen, eyes trembling, until he stumbled forward and fell, Light tumbling to the side dizzily.

For a moment, the only sounds were the labored breaths L and Light made. L stumbled over, nearly collapsing to his knees and gripping his stomach. He shuffled through the bag, pulling out an oran and cheri berry for himself, as well as a heal seed for Light. His injuries and paralysis began to heal as he bit into the berries, grimacing at the flavors.

Light took the heal seed, crunching it as his vision corrected itself, the dizziness fading away, and he avoided L’s gaze. “I didn’t mean to strike you,” He muttered, rubbing his arm.

“I know. You certainly were more of an adversary than Drowzee was,” L replied, noting how Light flinched, before adding, “It wasn’t your fault he confused you. Next time it happens, just stand back and let it wear off on its own or eat a heal seed if you can grab one.”

Light didn’t respond, staring at Drowzee lying on the ground and groaning, the anger towards him bubbling up as he balled his palms into fists.

L got up and walked over to Azurill, who was still shaking from the fight. He crouched down, hands on his knees and smiled warmly. “We’re here to save you, are you hurt anywhere?”

“N-No,” Azurill whimpered, inching closer to L. “I don’t think so…”

“That’s a relief,” L sighed and rubbed Azurill’s head. “You were so brave, you know that? Your brother’s waiting for you at the base with Bidoof. We’re going to get you both home safe and you won’t have to worry about that mean Pokémon anymore.”

Azurill smiled slightly, jumping into L’s arms and curling his tail around in a hug.

L froze at the sudden hug and cleared his throat, awkwardly patting him on the head. “You’re a good kid.”

Light could hear L comforting Azurill, but his mind was focused on Drowzee. He stood up, stalking over to the criminal, fists shaking. He loomed over in disgust of this worthless scum. Without a word, he pushed Drowzee up, digging his fingers into his skin and holding him up threateningly by the chest. “Who do you think you are luring a kid to a place like this!? You’re nothing but a monster!” He screamed, his fists glowing as he punched Drowzee in the face.

Drowzee couldn’t do anything to retaliate. He was already beaten, too weak to move. All he could do was take Light’s judgement.

The anger roared in Light’s head, eyes narrowed, practically bright red as he pummeled Drowzee. Each time he struck faster, harder, reveling at the sound of the psychic type weakly begging for mercy. He felt so alive, like all of this was familiar to him. Nothing else around him mattered except for making this scum of the world face justice with his own hands. He was about to unleash a final punch when claws wrapped around his wrist, holding him back. He turned slowly, seeing L’s wide, disapproving eyes staring right through him. “Let go…”

“That’s enough,” L commanded sternly, not loosening his grip.

“What do you mean that’s enough!? We can’t just let him live after everything he did!” He growled, prepared to jerk his wrist back.

L took a deep breath, turning his head slightly. “Light… not now. You’re scaring Azurill.”

The anger burning in Light’s mind petered out and he froze in shock, as he followed L’s gaze, seeing Azurill with his tail in front of him protectively. He was shivering as the scene unfolded, tears welling up in his eyes.

Light then turned down at Drowzee, face bloodied and bruised, releasing him and stepping back. The world around him grew hazy with each breath he took, feeling L’s wary eyes watching him. All he could do was stare at his trembling hand; the knuckles stained with the scarlet blood of an enemy who could no longer fight.

Chapter Text

“I think I see them! Yup yup!” Bidoof called, nudging Marill as Team Task Force and Azurill came into view, having warped to the base of Mt. Bristle with their badges. L and Light were dragging Drowzee, who was unconscious, but… he gasped, running up to his friends upon seeing them in rough shape. Behind him, Officer Magnezone and a couple Magnemite followed, floating past him to take care of Drowzee. “By golly! Are you two okay!? What happened!?”

“Things got a little out of hand,” L muttered, an arm covering his stomach while casting a wary yet concerned glance at Light, who was staring at the ground, his right hand bloodied and fur disheveled. Behind them, Azurill was shaking, huddling close to L, before his eyes lit up at the sight of his brother.

“M-Marill!” Azurill ran from his hiding place and over to Marill, jumping into his arms. He broke down crying and nuzzled his brother. “I missed you! I-It was so scary!”

Marill hugged Azurill as tight as he could manage, tears rolling down his cheeks, and sniffled. “I’m so sorry Azurill! Are you okay!? Did Drowzee hurt you!?”

Azurill shook his head. “No… Mr. L and Mr. Light saved me before he could.”

Light looked away, the brother’s reunion drowned out by a numbness that swept over him. Out of the corner of his eyes, he could see Bidoof walking up, barely hearing him ask if he was okay. He didn’t respond, noticing a pool of water near the base of the mountain. Stumbling to it, he fell to his knees and shoved his hands in, splashing his face.

Cold, rushing water flowed through Light’s fingers, the blood slowly washing away and staining the pool. Staring at them in forlorn, he couldn’t find the strength to push himself back up as he questioned if his hands were really cleaned. Why was I willing to go so far? Would I have really killed him if L hadn’t stopped me? What’s going to happen now? He turned slowly, sitting down with his knees propped up as he rested his arms and head on them.

As he did, he noticed L was talking with Magnezone, probably explaining everything that happened. He buried his nose into his arms, expecting some sort of punishment. It would only make sense, right? Would he be arrested? Even if he wasn’t, would L kick him off the team? He wouldn’t blame the Sneasel after witnessing that.

“Yes, things did get a little out of hand,” L muttered to Magnezone as the Magnemite restrained Drowzee, though it wasn’t much effort. “Drowzee chose to play dirty during that fight, which was how he ended up like this. I would’ve been much worse off if Light hadn’t stopped him.”

Light raised his head slowly, mouth agape. Wait, that’s not…

Magnezone nodded, their magnets spinning as they buzzed quietly. “BZZT! Well, what’s done is done,” They replied, nudging Drowzee up. “It’s a shame things went this far, but I’m sure he learned his lesson. As long as Azurill isn’t hurt, that’s what matters most. Make sure they both get home safe, L. ZZT!”

L nodded and curled a claw over his mouth.

With a final farewell, the officers floated off with Drowzee in tow, fading away into the distance. Silence filled the area except for the joyful sobs of the brothers holding each other close. Azurill broke away from Marill, sniffling and bouncing over to Light.

Light blinked in surprise, and his heart sank when he saw Azurill still shaking. He looked down shamefully. “Hey… I’m sorry for scaring you.”

Azurill walked closer before pressing into Light’s side, wrapping his tail around him. “I-It’s okay.”

So many emotions clashed with one another in his mind. Relief that Azurill was still willing to approach him, even if he was shaking. Anguished that he terrified this poor child. Anger for the fact that Azurill had even been kidnapped, but also at himself for letting things get out of hand. He wanted to tell him that he shouldn’t have experienced this in the first place. But in the moment, when he was so overwhelmed, he pulled Azurill into a tight hug, whispering, “I won’t let this happen to you again.”

Azurill sniffled and broke down crying again in his arms. “Th-Thank you for saving me, Mr. Light!” He wailed, “I was so scared!”

Light rubbed Azurill’s head, shaking as he did everything he could to not break down, to keep it together, to let this boy be the one to cry it out. When Azurill’s wails died down, L slowly approached them with Bidoof and Marill close behind.

“It’s about time we head back…”

~~~~~~~

The return to the guild was quiet after taking the boys home. L limped slightly from his injuries, with Bidoof keeping him steady, while Light stared at the ground, not daring to face his teammate or fellow apprentice. There wasn’t much to say with the tensity and a wave of exhaustion crashing over everyone. L winced as he climbed down the ladder, the pain in his stomach flaring up from the extra movement.

Chatot waited for them on the second floor, letting out a surprised gasp when they made it back. He frantically flew to them, squawking over their condition, to which L reassured him they were going to be okay. He squinted at the Sneasel before sighing. “Right… Officer Magnezone alerted us of what happened with Drowzee,” He pulled out a pouch of poké dollars. “This is your share of the reward money, and please, for the love of Arceus, go see Chimecho later if your injuries are still hurting.”

“We will,” L reassured, opening the pouch to look it over. Only three hundred poké dollars? For all that trouble? He shook his head, taking half and handing it to Bidoof. “Here, you helped too.”

Bidoof pushed away the money. “No sirree! You were the ones who took down Drowzee. I only watched Marill.”

“Well, you did keep him safe from harm and alerted Officer Magnezone,” L countered, attempting to give it to Bidoof again.

“And I’m mighty happy to have protected little Marill, yup yup! But I didn’t get a single scratch on me! Keep it.”

L shrugged. “Suit yourself,” He pulled out his own money pouch from the treasure bag, slowly looking up at Light as he poured their share in. The Riolu’s shoulders were slumped, ears drooping as he stumbled to the ladder.

“I’m going to bed,” Light muttered, not waiting for a response as he climbed down.

Tension filled the room, so thick that it could be cut with L’s claws. Exploration teams were beginning to file out for the night, satisfied with their missions, as the energy of the guild slowly died down with the evening. Chatot folded his wings, turning to the two with his eyebrows furrowed. “I want you to be honest with me. What happened?”

L bit his claw, contemplating what to tell Chatot. He knew deep down there was no avoiding this, but he had to choose his words carefully. “Is this something we can discuss privately after dinner?”

Chatot breathed in, exasperated as he covered his face. “Very well, come straight to the guildmaster’s chambers when we’re done.”

With a grunt of affirmation, the three made their way to the mess hall. L and Bidoof were flooded with many questions from his guildmates about Light. Where he was. If he was okay. Why wasn’t he here. L told them that Light wasn’t feeling well after their job and needed to rest. It wasn’t entirely a lie, Light looked absolutely drained. That seemed to quell their curiosity, though it was evident the mood was heavy with concern. Many thoughts were swirling in L’s mind as he silently ate his gummis and berries, the sweetness helping him piece them all together.

Is Light going to be a problem later? I have to consider this very carefully. He didn’t have any problems with potentially killing someone in the moment. No normal person resorts to attempting murder just like that, even with the crimes someone like Drowzee committed. It came naturally to him, too naturally… L took a bite of a pecha berry, leaning back on his feet. Who was Light before waking up as a Riolu? Is the act of killing engraved into his mind that not even amnesia could take it away?

His mind wandered to when they met only a couple of days ago, recalling his reaction to seeing Light unconscious and how his whole body instinctively froze. How it felt as if his very heart would burst right out of his chest. One would have guessed the reaction was warranted from the fact that someone was unconscious on the beach. But L’s reasoning was much different. Upon seeing Light, a sense of familiarity had swept over and enveloped him with intense dread. One that made him consider leaving Light there.

The reaction I had at the time and Light’s actions today… are they somehow connected? And then there’s the fact that Light and I both have amnesia. Could we have both known each other in the past? I don’t have memories of being human like he does but… this feeling I’ve known him once just won’t go away.

L closed his eyes, pressing at his lip with a claw in contemplation. Drowzee’s words echoed in his mind. They were only meant to get under his skin, and for a moment, he allowed them to. Was he making a mistake having Light as a partner? Was he really better off working alone? He’d been used to it for quite some time, but with the case he was currently trying to tackle, he needed as much help as he could get. Aside from the police, no other exploration team dared attempting to engage in it out of fear for their lives. Despite everything, L could tell Light’s sense of justice was strong and could be an asset to this case once the time to ask for his cooperation was right.

Maybe this is something we can take care of before it gets worse. It would be cruel if I just kicked him from the team. And Wigglytuff would really give me an earful if I pulled something like that. L looked over at Light’s empty plate, standing up and gathering a few apples, berries, and even some gummis for him. He could see Chatot watching him and exchanged a nod, grabbing the plate and following him and Wigglytuff to his chambers while the other apprentices said their goodnights.

Wigglytuff stretched, plopping down on his rug and inviting L and Chatot to join him with a pat of his foot. L carefully sat the plate down, crouching from the left of Wigglytuff while Chatot perched next to him. There was a comfortable silence in the room, one where L could always feel safe to confide his thoughts. Though the perceived tension did its part in disrupting it.

Which was why L immediately spoke once everyone was settled. “Light almost killed Drowzee today,” He said bluntly, catching Chatot’s beak dropping in shock as he continued. “It was something that kept building up the further we went through Mt. Bristle. Drowzee was already knocked down when it happened, and Light would have succeeded had I not intervened. He was shaken up once the adrenaline wore off and hasn’t said much or eaten dinner, as you saw.”

Chatot flapped his wings, a feather flying off as he squawked. “What!? How could he go so far!? He seemed like such an upstanding young Pokémon!” He started rambling about the kind of Pokémon they let into the guild, though Wigglytuff shushed him with a nudge.

“We shouldn’t jump to conclusions now, Chatot.” There was a thoughtfulness in Wigglytuff’s voice, one that was kind, understanding. One that always saw the best in any Pokémon he encountered. “Light is our friend after all, and considering the first criminal he faced kidnapped a child, well, it would be a lot for anyone.”

“Yes, guildmaster, I understand that but…” Chatot turned to L for help, a sweat drop forming on his feathers while his tail twitched.

“This doesn’t exactly justify what Light did,” L continued, understanding where Chatot was going. “But he seems to know this.”

Wigglytuff nodded in agreement. “You’re both right to be concerned, but as you said L, if Light regrets his actions, then I don’t think we’ll have to worry as long as we’re there for him.”

“But Guildmaster—!” Chatot squawked.

“It’s going to be okay, Chatot. I have no doubt in my mind!”

“But I do! What happens if he does kill someone!? Aren’t you the least bit worried about this potentially happening!?”

“That won’t happen now that he’s aware of it,” Wigglytuff countered in a singsong tone, turning to L. “Don’t you agree?”

“I don’t one hundred percent agree with you,” L admitted, closing his eyes to think through his words carefully. “We have to consider what would happen if things got out of hand again—”

“SEE!?” Chatot interrupted, pointing at L. “He’s a danger to the guild!”

“But,” L continued, furrowing his brow at Chatot for not letting him finish his thoughts. “Right now, he’s also afraid of what he could have been. Frankly, throwing him out would be more detrimental than allowing him to stay.”

“What makes you think that?”

“Come on Chatot, you should have a good idea,” L retorted, making the bird squint in annoyance. “We’re the only real connection Light has. If we throw him out, he’ll be all alone with nowhere to go, which in turn could push him to seek revenge. Would you be willing to deal with those consequences?”

“Does this mean you’re okay with keeping him here!?” Chatot challenged.

“I think it’s too early to give an answer, but I can promise to keep an eye on him.”

“I believe it won’t happen again. Deep down, Light had Azurill’s safety in mind,” Wigglytuff declared confidently, his ears flicking. “He’s a genuinely good Pokémon, I know he is!”

Chatot sighed in defeat, shaking his head. “I’m not so sure, but if you really think so…”

Wigglytuff patted Chatot on the back, smiling brightly at him before tilting his head at L. “So, are you enjoying having a partner?”

“Light’s perceived abilities are interesting,” L started. “And once we get everything figured out, I believe he would be a useful asset in pursuing Decidueye.”

Wigglytuff chuckled and shook his head. “You didn’t answer my question. After all, it’s been a while since…” He broke off, realizing what he was about to say, his ears lowering while giving an empathetic glance.

A pain ached through L’s heart, one that he had spent months pushing down. Part of him wanted to let it linger, to just feel it all over again, but what good would letting it do? He shook off the pain, burying it back down before considering Wigglytuff’s question. Was he enjoying having Light around? Sure, he seemed like an intelligent guy who matched the way he thinks almost to a T, but it was too early to really say. Still, seeing the guildmaster watching him with those curious, wide turquoise eyes, he answered, “I suppose it’s nice having another partner around.”

That seemed to appease Wigglytuff as he jumped to his feet, a pep in his step. “That’s great! Things will work out with Light, I promise,” He reassured, giving L a big hug.

L stiffened at the surprise hug, but then leaned into it again, feeling comforted by Wigglytuff’s kindness. He breathed in, not being one hundred percent sincere as he said, “I think so too.” Maybe in time he could be. He wiggled out of Wigglytuff’s hug, leaning over to pick up Light’s plate. “I should be going back. Thank you both. Good night.”

“Good night, L! Sleep well!” Wigglytuff called as he waved, and L could catch the insistence of the fairy type’s voice telling him to actually sleep tonight while Chatot was still apprehensive about this decision. He shook his head, remaining quiet while returning to his room.

~~~~~~~

Sleep did not come easily for Light as he laid down, staring at the ceiling and completely alone with his chastising thoughts. A dull headache was rising in the back of his head while the soreness in his spine burned when shifting. He covered his eyes, breathing in, which only worsened it, and exhaled shakily.

What is the matter with me? Why did it all feel so natural? Just what kind of person was I before coming here?

The sound of the other apprentices’ footsteps pattered outside, as they all exchanged goodnights before retiring to their own rooms. Did they know what he did? None of them came in here to check on him. Were they disgusted? A part of him wished someone would come greet him. As the time slowly passed with no sleep, another quieter pair of footsteps approached, making him look up.

L was coming into their room, a plate of food in his hands, and he crouched next to Light, setting it down.

Light immediately pushed it away. “I’m not hungry…” He mumbled, dejectedly.

L frowned, pushing it back towards him and giving a look that said I can do this all night. “I doubt you aren’t. You’re not going to have enough energy in the morning if you don’t eat.”

With a loud groan, Light turned on his side, curling into himself. “I told you I’m not hungry, and even if I was, why would you bother giving me food?” He mumbled. “I attacked you, my own teammate, traumatized a child, and nearly killed someone who was defenseless.”

“Yes, that did all happen, but that doesn’t mean you should starve yourself.”

Light shot up, whipping his head around in confusion as L’s words spiked his emotions. “Why are you being so calm about this!?”

L met Light’s wild gaze, his gray eyes the sincerest he’d ever seen. “The whole situation was alarming, I can’t deny that, and everything nearly went horribly wrong. But it’s over now, and dwelling on it the way you are is only going to be detrimental for your health.”

“But what does this say about who I once was!?” Light blurted out, letting all his fears come bursting out like a flood gate. “What if I was a murderer before waking up here!?”

L searched through Light’s words, quietly studying him very carefully while biting his claw. Light felt vulnerable under L’s intense, contemplative gaze, and part of him wished he hadn’t laid out all his fears on the floor. “There is a possibility that you could have been, but you don’t have any memories of the past, and as it stands, whatever you may have done doesn’t affect this world.”

Light leaned forward, propping himself up with his arms as he skeptically asked, “How can you be so sure? What if there’s simply some place you haven’t reached yet that has been affected by my past!?”

“That is a possibility too, but aside from the one who was turned into a Skitty in the Air Continent, humans don’t exist in this world, no one has ever seen one.”

“Yet! You can’t be so sure they don’t truly exist here!”

L shrugged. “Fair enough, I concede on that part, but it’s still highly unlikely. One way or another, your reputation would have spread if you were always here.” He tapped his feet and asked, “Let me ask you this Light, assuming you were a murderer in the past, do you wish to remain one?”

Light jerked back. “Wha— Of course not!”

L leaned forward, only a few inches away from Light. “Then why bother dwelling on who you could have been when you could instead focus on building up who you are now?”

It was like something awakened in Light. Was it hope? He tried to find a way to rebuttal L’s words, but he was rendered speechless as his mind cleared to think. Yes, he messed up horribly today, and yet his partner was still here. Azurill was home safe with his brother, and although he was terribly injured, Drowzee was still alive. He couldn’t let himself forget today, otherwise it would happen again, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t move on. Or at least start working to move on. A vulnerable smile lit up his face. “Thank you.”

L nodded back, a sliver of a genuine smile crawling on his face as he nudged the plate forward again.

Light chuckled and scooted forward, examining the plate of apples, berries, and gummis, before beginning to eat. He hadn’t realized just how hungry he was as his energy slowly returned. The food was so delicious, being a mixture of tart and sweetness that was refreshing and probably the best thing he ever tasted, though how could he know for sure? Was it because he was famished? Or was it because of his newfound hope? It had to be both. He sighed with relief, feeling completely revitalized as he moved the plate aside.

“Better?”

Light nodded. “Better.” He got comfortable in his bed, letting himself take in the soft texture and relaxing his aching muscles. His mind trailed back to his fellow apprentices, or could he call them his friends now? “Does anyone else know?”

“I told Wigglytuff and Chatot,” L turned in the direction of the guildmaster’s chambers. “Chatot, being just as much the guild’s stressor as he is the head intelligence, had some concerns he addressed with us, but Wigglytuff is more optimistic of you…” He trailed off, just continuing to stare, as the mention of the guildmaster drew a fond smile up, revealing more of their close history. “He believes in you, Light.”

And Light believed every word. The guildmaster’s kindness was infectious, despite his seemingly childlike nature, he carried himself with his arms wide open. Even if Chatot might think of him differently now, he could tell that Wigglytuff would be genuine. “Then I better not let him down.” He paused, his mind wandering to the night before. Would now be a good time to ask? He couldn’t be too sure but wanted to let his partner know that he could open up to him. “Can I ask you something?”

“What is it?”

Light crossed his legs, leaning back with his arms behind him. “What exactly happened when you lost your memory?”

A wave of emotions seemed to crash over L as he froze, squeezing his knees while his brow furrowed. His mouth quivered, attempting to remain stoic and taking in a breath that carried so much weight on his shoulders. He was apprehensive, contemplating whether or not he could trust Light with this. As he let go of that breath, his shoulders eased, and eyes fluttered closed. “I suppose I can tell you… It all started a year ago.” He shifted to face Light, his claws flexing against his legs as he began to share his story.

~~~~~~~

The sound of bells thundered all around him accompanied by a chorus of voices, scrambled and incomprehensive. It was all so overwhelming, his senses screaming for all of it to stop, to let him be in this darkness. His mind grasped for some semblance of recollection but was met with both emptiness and chaos. But why? Why was everything blank?

The ringing slowly began to fade, and with it, the voices dispersed, giving his senses the chance to recover and process. Even in silence, there was nothing to reach for, nothing to cling to, nothing to give him an identity. Was this how it had always been?

Thump…

What was that? His mind drifted, searching for the beat that echoed in the darkness. It was small and fragile yet desperate to make itself known. Even though it was faint, it gathered all the strength harbored within to beat again.

Thu-Thump…

Something stirred within him, something familiar, as the beat continued to echo, becoming stronger with each effort to make itself known.

Thu-Thump… Thu-THUMP… THU-THUMP…!

The beat slowly found its own rhythm, at first rapid to kick start itself but easing once it regained stability, like it was once full of life before being snuffed out. That’s when he realized it, the beat was coming from himself, thumping inside his chest. So many senses began to overwhelm him. Warmth was seeping into him, as if it were giving him form, but from where? A sweet scent filled the air, one that he wished to follow. New voices surrounded him, but they were gentle in reassuring him everything was okay. It felt wonderful being able to understand what they were saying. A soft texture brushed against him, carefully embracing him while he took in each new sense. Part of him just wanted to cling to it forever and stay in this darkness, but another was ready to break away and let his final sense guide him.

And so, he opened his eyes and breathed in…

Blinding light filled his vision, his muscles jerking as he shot awake, clenching to the soft surface beneath. His mind was frazzled as he took each breath heavily and frantically, gripping his chest tightly.

THUMP THUMP THUMP!

His hand eased its grip, taking in the feeling of his racing heart, and processing the world around him. He finally regained control of his breathing, slowing down and blinking away the light surrounding him, bringing his arm up to shield his eyes. Out of the corner of his vision, a big pink shape stood next to him, not moving. He turned slowly towards it, squinting to correct his vision. Realizing that what was standing before him was a pink and white rabbit with huge round turquoise eyes made him jerk back in surprise. His knees instinctively pressed against his chest while his hands shot out protectively. Or… claws? Were his hands always claws? He tried searching deep into his memories, but nothing was there.

“You’re awake!” The rabbit spoke in a singsong yet soft voice, jumping up and down a couple of times, which didn’t help his shock as he jerked further away. It took notice of this, looking apologetic and ceasing its jumping. “I’m sorry friend, you weren’t moving when I found you, so I brought you here. Welcome to the Wigglytuff Guild! How do you feel?”

Okay, this creature is speaking to him coherently. His shoulders bunched up as he searched for a way to escape. He was in a small room with a window to the side and there was a hallway beyond the creature. But, as he took in what it said, something about it felt comforting, like it meant no harm. Could he trust it? Could he even speak to it? He breathed in again, searching for a voice deep within his throat while considering a response. “Uh…I…” He froze. His voice was low, monotone, and a bit hoarse from lack of use. It was refreshing knowing he even had a voice. “I don’t… know… Who are you…?”

“My name’s Wigglytuff! Nice to meet you, friend!” Wigglytuff gave him a warm, inviting smile, one that eased the tension constricting him, even if only for a moment. “And who are you?”

Panic filled his mind, and he gripped his head, brushing his claws through silky black hair with gray eyes blown wide. There had to be something in his memories, a name to give himself, anything! Squeezing his eyes shut, he searched again, until something surfaced from below the depths of his fuzzy mind. It was simple, just a letter, but it was his. “It’s… L.”

“L…” Wigglytuff pondered before smiling. “I like that name! Where are you from, L?”

More questions about himself that he struggled to find the answer to. No matter how deep he dove into the depths of memory, nothing emerged from it. Only his name. “I can’t remember.”

Wigglytuff gasped. “Oh my! Can you remember anything?” When L shook his head, Wigglytuff tapped his foot and hummed thoughtfully. “Then you can stay here, and we can help you find where you’re from! How does that sound?

Incredibly suspicious. L stiffened at the invitation, an urge to bite his claw surfacing that he listened to while scanning for any signs of malice or trickery in this creature. Could he really trust Wigglytuff? They just met after all. But the more he looked, the more he could see that Wigglytuff wasn’t giving off any signals that this was all a trap. His eyes were so sincere, sparkling at the idea of having a new friend. And if L were honest with himself, how long could he last in a world he has no memory of without help? “That… sounds nice, I suppose.”

Wigglytuff’s ears twitched in excitement. “Perfect! Then I’ll show you around!” He was about to invite L to follow, when a low grumble echoed in the small room, and he giggled. “Sounds like you’re hungry. Follow me, and we can get you something to eat.”

L brushed his claws over his stomach, listening to the grumbles, before pushing himself to follow. He wasn’t sure of what would happen, but perhaps Wigglytuff really was someone who could be trusted.

~~~~~~~

“We tried searching for leads on where I was from, but nothing ever came out of our investigation, not even sailing to the other continents,” L stared at the ground, as a deep longing tugged at him. “It took a long time to come to terms with not being able to solve the puzzle that is my past, but eventually I decided to formally join the guild as an apprentice and focused my efforts on pursuing criminals and rescuing Pokémon in need. Though I do enjoy a good exploration every once in a while.” He trailed off, picking at the burned wheat grass at the edge of his bed.

When L didn’t add anything else, Light shifted to his knees, letting the silence carry the weight of the story. Thunder roared in the distance and tiny raindrops began pattering against their roof. It was surprisingly calming, letting them have this moment of simply opening up to each other. He gave an empathetic look. “It must have been scary being the only one for so long.”

L looked genuinely surprised, his shoulders dropping and mouth hanging open, before his expression softened. “Yes, it was.”

“But you’re not alone now,” Light reassured, giving a trusting smile. “I’m sure with the two of us working at it, we’ll be able to uncover who we were, right? I mean, even if it might hurt later, at least it’ll give us some peace.”

“I would like that,” L smiled back at him, an unguarded one. “Perhaps your ability could be a tool in uncovering the truth.”

Light nodded, scratching his chin. “It did help in rescuing Azurill. I noticed that it only happened when I touched something. The first time it was after I gave the apple back, and then again, the moment Drowzee bumped me.”

“Yes, and I also noticed your eyes turned blue as you were having a vision.”

“Really? I had no idea.”

“It would be hard to know without it being pointed out. Not only that, but the events you heard and saw were ones of the future,” L continued, following Light’s logic. “The question is can you also see events from the past?”

“What if I just…” Light poked L in the arm and stared in awkward silence, hoping that it would trigger another dizzy spell. He sighed when nothing happened. “If only it were that easy.”

L shrugged. “That doesn’t necessarily prove anything, it would be rather inconvenient if you had a vision every time you touched something.”

Light pouted and rested his chin in his palms. “Would be nice if I had some control of it.”

“Yes, it would make our lives a lot easier, but I’m sure this won’t be the last time you experience it.”

Light rolled his eyes. “There’s still something else that’s confusing me about this world. What about the flow of time is being thrown out of balance? Like the cycle of time? Or is there something that’s controlling the flow of time itself?”

“As I’ve mentioned before, it is a difficult concept to explain, one that neither Chatot nor myself have been able to find a finite solution of despite many nights of discussion,” L lifted up the Relic Fragment, twirling it around by the string before tracing the pattern. “One would say that it is the cycle of time itself, but there is one connection we believe could be a possibility, which is the Time Gears.”

Time Gears? Light tilted his head to the side questioningly. “Which are…?”

“They’re said to be hidden across the continent with the ability to control the flow of time.” Lightning crackled in the sky, the rain intensifying as he explained in a serious tone. “We believe that something has begun to disturb them, which has thrown time out of balance.”

“Like someone stealing them?”

“No, not even the vilest criminal would dare stealing a Time Gear. If they were to, they would be punished severely, for removing one would mean that time itself would freeze in its respective region, or so they say. And if such a thing were to happen, everyone would have known by now.”

It would make sense. The idea of someone potentially causing damage this severely to a part of the world should in turn have just as severe a punishment. But if it wasn’t someone stealing the Time Gears, then what was the cause? It made Light’s mind race with so many ideas that didn’t even come close to making sense. “Thank you for answering my questions, L. You were comforting me, and it turned into an interrogation. Sorry about that.”

“I just needed to make sure my partner would be at his best tomorrow,” L shifted in his crouch. “Speaking of, you should probably sleep, it’s getting rather late, and you’ll be miserable in the morning if you don’t get enough rest.”

Breathing out a sigh, Light chuckled and shook his head again. Sure you did. “Alright, fair enough. Good night, L.” He curled up in his nest, feeling a little bit more at peace as the pattering of rain helped ease him into sleep. The last thing he could hear was a faint good night from L before finally drifting off.

~~~~~~~

Lightning crackled in the sky, nearly striking the trees towering high, as the harsh winds and rain pounded against them, leaves billowing through the air. As a flash illuminated the darkness of Treeshroud Forest, a silhouette rushed through, bouncing from tree to tree with intense resolve. Not even the devastating storm could slow it down, seeing its destination coming into view.

At the heart of the forest, bathing in an ethereal turquoise glow, was a small, blue gear hovering in the air, with a green emblem resembling a clock surrounding it. The silhouette slowly approached it, lightning flashing again to reveal sharp yellow eyes focused on the gear.

“Finally… I found it… The first Time Gear.”

Chapter Text

Light puffed out his chest, chin held high as he and his fellow apprentices recited the morning cheer. “THREE! SMILES GO FOR MILES!” His head felt clearer than a beautiful morning after a storm, ready to start a brand-new day.

“Okay Pokémon! Time to get to work!” Chatot commanded, his wing thrusting in the air.

“HURRAY!” Everyone cheered, raising their hands with the same excitement as the past couple of days Light had been here. The consistency of morale was refreshing as the apprentices didn’t break away to start the day yet.

Bidoof approached Light, tilting his head with concern but smiling warmly. “Good mornin’ Light! Are you feelin’ any better?”

As he asked, the others gathered around him, showing their concern. It all felt so overwhelming at once, that Light couldn’t help reciprocating Bidoof’s smile. “I’m feeling a lot better,” He replied, rubbing the back of his head. “Sorry to worry you.”

Sunflora gently rubbed Light’s back. “We’re just happy you’re okay,” She reassured. “If you need anything at all, please let us know.”

“You’re our guildmate after all, we want to make sure you feel welcome and safe here,” Chimecho added with a comforting chime in her voice, before her tone shifted to be lower and more serious. “And make sure you come to me when you’re injured next time… both of you.” She squinted at L, who only shrugged in response, and let out an exasperated sigh.

Loudred threw his head back in laughter. “Already getting onto the new apprentice, eh, Chimecho?” He howled, pointing at the psychic type with a jovial grin. “Don’t mind her, she’s said that to ALL of us!”

“Hey Hey! Just last month, she was giving Loudred and Sunflora a hard time coming back from Spring Cave!” Corphish nudged Loudred with a pincer while Sunflora’s mouth dropped open, eyebrows furrowed and twitching as she folded her arms.

If looks could kill, the glare Chimecho gave Loudred, squinted yellow beady eyes piercing into him, would have made him keel over on the spot. “That’s because you all worry me too much!”

“And for the record!” Sunflora retorted as she put her leafy limbs on her hips. “We were going to find her anyways because of our burns!”

Bidoof laughed quietly with embarrassment while L was shaking his head. Despite the bickering, the air between everyone felt incredibly lighthearted, like these Pokémon had been working together for so long that they could jab at each other without anyone’s feelings being hurt. Even as Sunflora and Chimecho were yelling, their annoyance didn’t last long as it melted away into laughter. Just seeing it all made him cover his mouth with a curled hand to hide the quiet laughter spilling out.

“Even if we did get burned,” Loudred placed one hand on his hip while the other reached up as his fingers curled into a peace sign, his chest puffed out with pride. “We showed the Invincible Haunter what for! The chief praised us for days!”

“Yes, it was rather impressive how quickly you were able to uncover the truth behind Haunter’s little trick,” L chimed in, walking closer to Sunflora with an inquisitive gaze. “No one can ever truly be invincible after all, so the praise from the chief was more than warranted.”

“Yup yup! That was amazing, Sunflora!” Bidoof cheered, proud of his friend’s accomplishments.

Sunflora blushed, cupping her cheeks while staring at the ground and shaking her head sheepishly. “Oh my gosh! You guys, stoooooop!”

Light’s shoulders shook, his laughs growing louder while he leaned forward and closed his eyes. The others’ laughter resonated in his ears like the chorus of a soothing song after a long day. Without a doubt, he was certain this was where he belonged. He took a deep breath, wiping a tear on the verge of leaking from his eyes away, and sighed. “Thank you, everyone.”

“Of course,” Chimecho chimed while looking at Chatot, who was staring at all of them with eyes squinting. “We better get to work before Chatot lectures us.”

Everyone nodded in agreement, Loudred going to his sentry post, Diglett and Dugtrio burrowing away to their own posts, Croagunk hopping to his structure, and the others heading towards the ladder. As they did, Chatot flew over to L and Light, clearing his throat. “Guildmaster needs to speak with you two.”

The two froze in their tracks, Light about to climb the ladder before glancing curiously at Chatot, noticing how he feigned a professional smile but couldn’t hide his muscles tensing up. Light couldn’t exactly blame him but silently swore that he would prove to the cautious flying type he was worth trusting.

Without a word, the two followed Chatot into Wigglytuff’s chambers where the morning light illuminated the guildmaster’s already welcoming face. Good. It didn’t seem like they were in trouble at least. In his nubby hands was a rolled-up scroll, wrapped in a black bow that piqued their interest. “Good morning! Did you sleep well last night, friends?”

“A lot better than I thought I would,” Light replied, holding his head up, before waiting for an answer from L.

“You know the answer already,” L replied nonchalantly.

Wigglytuff pouted, opening his mouth to share his concerns before closing it and smiling instead. “Well, I’m glad you slept well at least, Light!” He cheered, untying the scroll and opening it up for them to see. It was written in the same footprint language Light had seen on the signs and job notices. Perhaps he could find the time to study it later. “This is a message from some dear friends of mine! They’re a well-known master rank exploration team! L, you remember them. You met Lopunny a little over half a year ago.”

L nodded slowly. “Team Charm, yes, I do remember them, their methods were quite fascinating.”

“Exactly! Their protégé, a young Buneary, has been recently going off on solo explorations and discovered a dungeon not yet explored by anyone else,” Wigglytuff explained, reading through the scroll. “Lopunny didn’t want to take the chance of her making a big discovery away by escorting her through the dungeon, but it seems a bit dangerous for just one Pokémon to explore alone. That’s why she’s asking me to send a few apprentices to back her protégé up. I immediately thought of you two, considering your experience, L, and your adaptability to guild life, Light. Plus, I was also very impressed by how quickly you pinpointed Drowzee’s location!”

Anticipation welled up in Light’s chest, making him hold his breath. Master rank? That had to be a huge deal, right? And Team Charm is supposed to be well known too? Just getting a chance to explore with their protégé could add some rapport to their team and his own name as well. Just imagining being recognized for his efforts as an explorer made him determined to give a stellar first impression with whoever this Pokémon was. “Where would we be going?”

Opening his wonder map, Wigglytuff laid it on the floor while the two crouched over to observe. He pointed to a forest south and a little east from where they were. If they went in a straight diagonal line to the dungeon, they would be met with sea and forced to go around. How long of a journey would it take for them to get there? “It’s called Midnight Forest, because Lopunny described it as always being dark.”

“I see… Guildmaster, is there a way we could save some time on travel by crossing the sea?” Light asked, gesturing to the gulf on the map. “It looks like it could take days to reach Midnight Forest if we walk the entire way, and I doubt it would be desirable to keep the protégé of a master rank team waiting.”

“Great question!” Wigglytuff located where Drenched Bluff was before gesturing slightly to the east. “If you go passed Drenched Bluff and follow the shore, you’ll find a small port where a wonderful friend of mine lives. He doesn’t usually sail to other continents like he used to, but a short trip like this would be perfect! Just tell him you’re my friends, and he’ll get you there quick!”

L hummed, analyzing the quickest route to reach the spot. “You sure do have quite a few connections, Guildmaster, though that would make sense,” He commented while pulling out their wonder map, making a note of where Wigglytuff gestured. “And who is this Pokémon we’d be looking for?”

“He’s a Barbaracle! Though he goes by the name Captain Pollicipes. He’s an excellent sailor and will take great care of you both! And super nice!”

Chatot flew over to them, folding his wings in a stern expression. “Now listen you both, this is a huge honor for Guildmaster to choose you,” He glared at Light intensely before raising an eyebrow. “I expect you to treat Team Charm’s protégé with the utmost respect and to not embarrass our guild.”

Why is he directing this at me? I’ve been respectful the entire time, Light thought, though he knew the answer, and bit back a harsh reply. “Of course, thank you for this opportunity, Guildmaster. We won’t let you down.” He bowed courteously at Wigglytuff.

“Good luck! And tell her I said hello too!” Wigglytuff exclaimed with a wave.

Light and L exchanged glances with each other, before heading into town to prepare, visiting Kecleon’s market to stock up on extra supplies should things go sour. Once they were ready, they began their trek towards Drenched Bluff, going eastward once the dungeon came into view. The grassy terrain shifted into sandy beaches along the shoreline, as the gentle waves lapped back and forth. A few Magikarp leapt up from the sea, droplets of water surrounding them as they shook their fins, before diving back in.

A cool, salty breeze billowed through Light’s hair and his scarf blew up in his face, making him wince and hold it down. In front, L kept a close eye out for signs of the port. He stopped for a moment, squinting and then making a hum of recognition. Light followed his gaze, seeing in the distance the shape of a small wooden hut, resting on the white sand next to what appeared to be a small dock with a sailboat.

The features of the hut became clearer as they approached it. It was rather old, with barnacles littered on the walls and the wood having scratches carved into it. The roof was made of straw reinforced by rope and wooden planks. At the top was a tattered green flag with a pattern of grass stitched into it, waving in the breeze. There wasn’t any sign of the captain outside, though his ship, which was in much better shape than his home, was still tied to the dock. The boat seemed to be new, made of oak wood that was polished to look presentable to anyone looking to board. The mast was planted slightly forward of the center, with a large white sail furled to prevent any damage.

“Maybe he’s inside?” Light asked L, who walked closer to the old wooden door. He followed, knocking on the door with fingers curled slightly. “Hello? Is there a Captain Pollicipes here? We were hoping to ask for your assistance on sailing.”

The sound of a grumble and multiple thunks getting closer made Light straighten his posture, though L was still hunched over, biting his nail curiously. There was a click, perhaps a lock being undone, and the door slowly opened. A Barbaracle loomed over the two as he stepped out. He was an older Pokemon, with a white sailor’s hat adorning the same emblem as the one on the flag, and chips and scratches engraved into his rocky chest and abdomen. His left upper arm had a black eye patch covering the eye in the palm of his hand. His sharp eyes shifted from the two, as he breathed out in exasperation. “What do ya want? I’m busy.”

Super nice, huh? Light thought, not bothered by the gruff tone of the captain’s voice. “We’re sorry to bother you, Captain,” He apologized with a polite bow. “We’re an exploration team, with a job across the gulf, and were hoping to ask for your help in getting us to our destination. It would save us a lot of time if you could.”

Pollicipes huffed, uninterested in what Light was saying as he stepped by the two. “Exploration team huh? You think that just because you’re an exploration team, that I’m going to help ya?”

“Well, we weren’t particularly expecting you to, we just figured we’d ask. After all…” Light stepped in front of Pollicipes, stopping the captain as he grinned. “We are friends of Wigglytuff’s.”

That was enough to grab Pollicipes attention. “Are ya now?”

“Yes, that’s correct,” L continued. “We’re apprentices at the guild, and our job entails assisting someone with connections to Team Charm, I assume you’re familiar, yes?”

Pollicipes folded his arms. “I would be living under a rock not to.”

Light wanted to grimace but resisted, tilting his head to the side while closing his eyes. “Considering you are familiar, it would be a shame to keep a team like them waiting on such a crucial job, and it would be days if we traveled on foot,” He explained, opening an eye up. “But if you’re busy like you said you were, we’ll just be on our way. We were going to give you credit for your assistance too.”

There was a drawn-out silence between the three, as Pollicipes mulled it over, scratching his head with one of his upper arms. Then there was a chuckle, followed by a full-blown laugh as he put the hands from his lower arms on his hips. “Quite the smooth tongue you have there, lad! I can see why you’re working under Wigglytuff!” He reached one of his hands out. “What’s your names?”

That was easier than I thought, Light mused as he puffed out his chest pridefully. “My name is Light of Team Task Force, Captain.”

L raised his hand with a bored expression. “And I’m L.”

“Oh, so you’re the rascal Wigglytuff thinks so highly of,” Pollicipes said, looking at L but intrigued by both. “He’s told me much about your exploits, practically talked my ears off last time he visited. You two seem to have a lot going for ya.” He stepped over to his boat, climbing in and hoisting the sails. “Where are ya headed?”

L slowly walked onto the deck, eyeing the boat as it swayed, before carefully climbing in, Light following him. He grabbed the wonder map from their bag, opening it for Pollicipes to see and gestured to Midnight Forest.

Pollicipes nodded, marching over to where the boat was tied to a post on the dock. “That should be an easy trip, about an hour or two at most,” He grabbed the rope, pulling it upward as the loop went airborne, before catching it. “You have your badges, don’t ya? I ain’t waiting for ya to get done with your job when I could be doing better things. You rascals already interrupted my work convincing me to sail.”

Light smirked, picking up a hint of excitement in the old Barbaracle’s gruff voice. The way he hoisted the sails. It was with fierce intent, putting his whole body into pulling the rope while his eyes sparked with pride at the sight of the sails catching the wind. Pollicipes held himself up with dignity while taking command at the stern, confidently grabbing the wheel and testing the wind. For someone who was annoyed at two rascals interrupting his day, he was certainly putting his all into just preparing to take to the seas. You’re not fooling me, Captain.

Pollicipes hummed in satisfaction as the wind blew south. “The winds are in our favor today, lads!” He called from the stern, spinning the wheel. “We’re sure to be there in no time!” The boat shifted to the left, away from the dock, a powerful gust of wind taking the sails while the rippling waves lapped at the sides. Soon, they were off, the captain letting out a hearty laugh while L and Light sat near the bow, taking in an endless expanse of the deep blue ocean.

It was completely breathtaking how the waves seemed to expand for miles. Just how big was this world? Where else could they go if given the opportunity? How many continents were out there, and what were their systems of civilization like? Was it similar to how Treasure Town and the guild ran? There were so many things about this world Light had yet to know which worked his mind to the limit in a way that satisfied him.

“Hmm… the calm after the storm is rather relaxing,” L muttered to himself, gazing into the distance with eyes heavy lidded and relaxed, his knees pressed to his chest and claws resting on them. “How fortunate that the gentle waves are the ones to guide us to our destination, instead of the treacherous ones from the night prior. Perhaps this is a sign that today will be a successful day.”

Light blinked, barely hearing L mutter to himself, the wind nearly drowning him out. “What was that?”

The Sneasel’s gaze lingered on the sea, seemingly in a trance, but he acknowledged Light with a hum. “Oh, don’t mind me, just thinking aloud.”

Light nodded slowly, leaning back and propping his hands behind himself for support, mind wandering to the job ahead and the note Team Charm left. “Does the guild have any books on this world’s written language?” Light asked, rubbing the back of his head with embarrassment. “I don’t know how to read it, and it would be beneficial in the long run if I picked it up soon.”

“Chatot keeps a collection of books available for apprentices to read at their leisure,” L explained, finally facing him. “You should ask him about it when we return.”

That doesn’t sound like a bad idea, but would he trust me with them if he’s already suspicious? Maybe showing him that I’m interested in learning more about this world and the language would be enough to begin building up a connection where he can trust me. It’d be worth a try at least. He nodded at L. “I’ll do just that then,” He replied. “So, Wigglytuff mentioned you’ve met Lopunny, but have you met this protégé before too?”

“I’ve not.”

“Do you at least know what her name is?”

“I believe her name was Misa, if I’m remembering correctly, though Lopunny only briefly mentioned it,” L replied.

Misa… Why does that name sound familiar? Was it just a coincidence? Light couldn’t be too sure, but the name sent a confused feeling buzzing through his head. Now that he thought of it, he hadn’t mentioned to L the feeling of familiarity he experienced when they first met. It’s only been a few days, but I should tell him soon. And maybe meeting this Misa Pokémon could give me a clue as well. I wonder if there’s a connection there or if it’s all in my head. He took a deep breath. “Do you at least know what she’s like based on what Lopunny said?”

“Not particularly, at the time she was only recently made Lopunny’s protégé, though she did mention seeing a lot of promise in Misa.”

I see… that’s not much to go off of. Though if she’s being trained by this team, then surely she must be a mature and seasoned explorer. She might have some insight as to what’s going on with me and L that we can’t figure out. “And what about Lopunny? What is she like?”

“Hmm… Well, she takes her role as a leader and treasure hunter rather seriously,” L tapped his claws along his knees, closing his eyes as to recall their interaction. He reached for the bag to pull out a gummi, twirling it through his claws. “They’ve achieved their master ranking through a fierce determination of being the first to discover whatever treasure their eyes are set on. I’ve yet to meet Gardevoir or Medicham, but Lopunny is quite a smooth talker, smart, rather beautiful, and uses these traits to her advantage in finding the treasure she seeks out and isn’t ashamed of letting everyone around her know of their success.”

“If they’re so set on always being the first to discover treasure, then surely they would want to assist Misa on this discovery.”

“True, but the way I see it, she’s been trained by them for a long time, perhaps this is their way of testing her. Assessing if she can handle herself or take charge with Pokémon around her level.” L popped the gummi in his mouth, his expression turning mildly annoyed as the boat suddenly rocked with the waves.

Light couldn’t help but snort, noting how he pouted ever so slightly in response, and blinked when he could see land coming into view. A fire built up from his core all the way to his chest, kindling the desire to show his potential to her. As they reached the docks, the two climbed out, thanking Pollicipes for the ride, who was eager to get back on the seas. The captain made sure to show them where they were, which made it easy for them to figure out which way Midnight Forest was.

The further they walked in the direction, the darker the area around them became. Judging by the angle of the sun, it was close to noon, yet the deep turquoise leaves of the ever-increasing density of trees slowly blocked out their source of light. L’s shoulders tensed up, his claws flexing while scanning the area with piercing gray eyes. He mumbled something to himself that Light couldn’t catch once again.

It was enough to pique Light’s interest. Were they being watched, or was it just L’s natural suspicion in a place unfamiliar to him? He closed his eyes, an energy stirring within, something similar to the energy that coursed through him when learning Force Palm. The appendages on the sides of his head lifted slowly, suspending themselves in air. In the darkness, he could see the outlines of the trees shimmering in a dim light blue aura. He gasped quietly. Huh? How is this happening? Is it similar to my visions or something Riolu can naturally do? He turned his head towards the trees, seeing the brighter outlines of Pokémon scuttering by, mostly bug types, but none of them watched the two. Turning forward, another silhouette came into his field of sensory, one that was rabbit shaped, shifting as if it were looking around. His brown eyes slowly opened, the appendages lowering as the sensation faded. Incredible. He couldn’t see her through the trees ahead of them, but knew they were going the right way.

Silently, he gestured L to follow before breaking into a sprint, leaping between trees and bushes as leaves blew by him. He skidded to a halt behind a thick bush, crouching down as L stopped behind him. The two stared at each other and slowly peeked up from their hiding spot, seeing a blonde and black furred Buneary with longer, saturated blonde hair, ears that resembled pigtails, wearing a black choker and silver cross shaped necklace, and having wide brown eyes. A stronger familiar feeling stirred in Light’s chest, curious as he watched how she tapped her feet impatiently while pacing the ground.

“I believe that’s our ally,” Light whispered to L, giving a smug grin at how she was mumbling to herself about wanting them to be here. “Just let me handle this.”

L hummed in response, the leaves and branches of the bushes sweeping against him as he and Light came into the clearing where the Buneary waited. She nearly yelped in surprise, holding her arms up as if bracing to jump at them.

“Whoa whoa, easy there, no need to be so skittish,” Light reassured calmly, and held his hands up to show they meant no harm. “You must be Misa, yes? It’s a pleasure to meet someone of such high regard.” He bowed politely and gave a gentlemanly smile. “My name is Light, and this is my partner L, members of Team Task Force and apprentices at the Wigglytuff Guild. I believe your mentor requested that we help you on an exploration through this dungeon.”

The Buneary stared at them, arms still braced as her eyes squinted while processing everything said to her. After a moment, those same suspicious eyes widened with a bright, ecstatic smile lighting up her face. She did a little hop and ran to them, rearing up and down on her toes. “L… I know your name! Oh. My. GOSH! You’re Wigglytuff’s protégé, right? I’ve heard so many sweet things about you from him! It’s so nice to meet you both! And you’re right, I am Misa!” She giggled, covering her mouth briefly. “I was beginning to worry no one was going to show up! Thank Arceus that didn’t happen!”

Oh. Oh no. Light could already sense another familiar feeling stirring within, one that was inducing a headache as he hid a grimace.

“Yes, you have to understand that this dungeon is a long way from the guild,” L spoke up, staring and studying her every action and words she spoke. “You’re lucky that we even arrived as quick as we did. You could have been waiting out here alone for days had we not found someone to sail through the gulf separating us.”

Light winced at the blunt tone in L’s voice, pulling himself together from the whiplash to continue. “But we wouldn’t want to keep you waiting that long in the first place.”

“Aw, you’re so sweet!” Misa gushed, her attention fully on him as she rambled on. “Thank you for coming here! I have so many questions for you both! What’s it like at the guild? How long have you been there? What rank are you? How did you meet and become partners? I’ve never heard about you before, Light, are you new around Treasure Town? Are you from another continent? What’s the most exciting job you’ve been on?”

The irritation grew stronger, as well as the headache, as he closed his eyes, feeling them twitch. This is Team Charm’s protégé? He didn’t expect her to be so… annoying. “H-Hey, would you mind slowing down? I can’t answer your questions if you just keep piling more up.” He stepped back a bit, straining to smile at her. “And besides, we wouldn’t want to wait any longer on exploring now, would we?”

That seemed to pull Misa back on track as her mouth formed a little O, and she jumped up. “You’re totally right! Sorry sorry!” She took a deep breath, before putting her hands on her hips, beaming with excitement and passion. “So! I did a little bit of scouting just to get an idea of what Midnight Forest is like. Most of the wild Pokémon here are bug types, so L, you’ll need to be careful especially. I think there’s treasure at the end of this dungeon, and WE’RE going to be the first to discover it! I’ll take the lead, ‘kay?”

Seems simple enough. Hopefully this won’t take too long. Light nodded, adjusting the strap on his bag. “Works for us, lead the way.”

“Alrighty!” Misa cheered before turning on her toes and dashing into the dungeon, leaving the two in the dust.

Light stumbled over his words, lip drew up in annoyance and shock as his right eye twitched. “Dammit— HEY! Wait up!” He gripped the strap of his bag tightly and dashed after her, L following beside him.

“Let you handle this, huh? It seems to be going rather smoothly, don’t you think?” L muttered sarcastically, though there was a hint of amusement in his voice.

Light growled quietly. “Shut up.” He closed his eyes, letting the same sensation flow through as he scanned the area for Misa. Her aura came into view not too far from them, and he gritted his teeth, picking up the pace. This idiot! What is she thinking just rushing in here!? Does she not realize she could get hurt or is she that confident in her own capabilities!? Another silhouette came into view, closing in on her. His eyes opened when they caught up, catching a red blur from the trees. “Misa! Above you!”

Misa shot around to face Light and L first before looking up and seeing a Ledian flying at her. She jumped back as it caught itself before it could crash into the ground, battering its wings angrily. A small smirk lit up her face before winking at it, standing on her toes, pressing her hands together, and holding them to her left cheek. A slightly pink aura emanated from her as she said in a smooth, sing song tone. “Aw, come on, you don’t want to hurt me, do you?”

The Ledian flew backwards a couple inches, cheeks flushing as it dropped its guard. It seemed like it wanted to attack but lacked the motivation. However, it shook its head and dashed again with its fists ready to strike, not nearly as aggressive.

It didn’t throw Misa off one bit, as she used her position to jump above it, her ears coiling up. The Ledian gasped, freezing midflight to attempt to redirect its strike upward, but it was already too late. She dove at the red bug type, her ears uncoiling to punch it in the back, sending it to the ground. It swayed dizzily, flying around in scattered motions, only to get Jump Kicked in the back again, and passed out. Misa puffed her chest out pridefully and bowed to the two like a dancer concluding their performance.

Light and L stood in surprise, exchanging glances with one another. “Well, that’s certainly one way to take care of an ambush,” L commented, scratching the back of his head.

A giggle bubbled from Misa as she walked over to them, leaving the fainted bug type. “Why thank you, especially for the warning, Light.”

Light couldn’t help but be impressed with how easily she took care of the Ledian, though it shouldn’t be a surprise considering her experience. “You wouldn’t have needed to be warned if you didn’t rush ahead of us.”

“Everything ended up okay, didn’t it?”

“Sure, but you’re missing the point. You’re being reckless and putting yourself in unnecessary danger.”

“But what if someone gets to the end before us?” Misa leaned back, holding her arms up dramatically. “It would kill me if that happened after everything I went through discovering this place!”

Light raised an eyebrow and folded his arms. “Kill you? Come on, you’re being stupid. That’s not going to happen.”

Misa gasped, right hand over her mouth before puffing her cheeks. “Ex-CUSE ME!? Did you just call me STUPID!?”

L took a deep breath and sighed, muttering to himself, “Yes, this is certainly handling it.” He stepped in between the two, staring into Misa’s eyes intensely. “Now Misa, I understand that reaching the end of this place is important to you. It’s because this is your first time taking charge in a mission without your mentors, correct?”

“Of course,” Misa replied, cooling down a bit.

“Then if you really value success,” L continued, his voice serious. “It would be in your best interest to not split from the two of us. Wouldn’t it be disappointing if this exploration failed because we kept getting separated?”

Misa tugged at the fleece near her hips as she thought it over. “Ugh… yeah, I guess so.” She then met his gaze once again, eyes blazing. “But I don’t want us slowing down too much, got it?”

“How fast we go doesn’t matter to me as long as it doesn’t put the three of us in danger. I assure you I can keep up,” L replied. “It’ll matter more to Light.”

Light gritted his teeth but was at least somewhat relieved L talked some sense into her. “Like he said, as long as you don’t put us in danger.” There was a sharp edge in his voice as he glared at her, who returned an equally intense gaze.

“I’m not going to,” Misa reassured, putting her hands on her hips. “Trust me.”

Trust you? You have some nerve telling me to trust you after that stunt you pulled. A silence filled the air with tension before Misa turned and took the lead again. There was haste in her steps, but not enough to separate from the group this time. As they traversed through the forest and the area grew darker, Light closed his eyes, letting his senses flow. He could feel the presence of more wild Pokémon scuttering close by, indifferent to their travels for now. How long would it last? And how far could his senses reach?

He hummed quietly, clenching his fist while opening his mind. Sweat drops formed, as it felt like he was drifting through the dungeon without moving. Like he was a spirit, cautious at first but then pushing himself to keep going, to see what else lurked without being in their presence. He gasped when another strange silhouette came into view, a big one. It was a long distance away from them as far as he could tell, and appeared to be shaped like an owl, though he couldn’t fully make it out. It jumped along the trees, almost meticulously, examining the area around it before leaping again. There was a pause, and then the silhouette faded into the shadows. What the—!? Where did it go? Was it a Pokémon!?

“Light! Are you okay!? Hurry up!” Misa called, pulling him back to his own body.

A scowl darkened his face as he opened his eyes and glared at her. “What was that for!? I was trying to keep a look out!”

“Is it hard to do while walking?” Misa asked impatiently, gesturing to how he had suddenly stopped.

“Someone could be watching us, and you would’ve alerted them!”

“Are we being watched?”

“Not right now, but it could happen!”

“If they were, technically you would’ve been the one to alert them since you screamed it out to like the whole world.”

Light was taken aback, realizing his own mistake, but refusing to admit it. Luckily there wasn’t anyone nearby, but it could’ve given them an advantage if they were. “That wouldn’t have happened if you didn’t yell at me in the first place!”

“The way I see it, both of you would have been just as guilty of alerting anyone stalking us. Could you two do me a favor and please lower your voice? And Light, please try to control your temper,” L called bluntly, looking over his shoulder, though there was a grin on his face.

He’s enjoying this! Jerk! Light felt as if he were going to go insane. “That’s not a problem for me.”

Misa rubbed her cheek sheepishly. “Ha… sorry about that, L.”

L chuckled quietly, falling back to walk next to Light while keeping his eyes peeled for any wild Pokémon. The turquoise leaves shrouding the branches of trees above them stretched for miles. If they were lucky, they could sometimes catch a glimpse of sunlight through the smallest openings. He stared up at it, clearing his throat to grab Light’s attention before whispering, “So, it seems you’ve discovered your aura abilities. Did you see anything interesting?”

Of course, L would know about it. “Wait, is this something normal?”

“Yes, at least for Riolu. Only a few Pokémon can sense aura, which is a sort of spiritual energy we all possess, or that’s how texts describe it as, but you didn’t answer my question.”

Light rolled his eyes at his partner’s pushiness. “There was one thing I saw, though it was quite far away. A silhouette of some sort of bird Pokémon, maybe an owl, I’m not even sure if it was really a Pokémon. It was jumping through the trees like it was stalking something but then just vanished.”

L stared at Light for an absurdly long time, eyes squinting while his claws teased his lower lip. It was as if a million thoughts were racing through his head, calculating every single one to figure out the identity of this silhouette. But there was a deeper emotion with the furrowing of his brow, a frown darkening his expression. He breathed out and mumbled to himself before his shoulders relaxed and gave a sincere nod to Light. “Thank you, that’s all I needed to know. Coming here turned out to be a valuable use of our time. It would be best if we avoid getting on their radar.”

That’s it? No other explanation? All of that thinking only to keep it to himself? If Light wasn’t already frustrated working with Misa, then this would have been what broke him. I can’t believe this. I’m stuck between the world’s loudest, most obnoxious Buneary and the world’s quietest, most secretive Sneasel. PLEASE! Someone get me out of here now! I’m going crazy! Light took a breath, brushing his hands through his hair. “Do you know who it is?”

“I can’t say for certain, but if it’s who I think it is based on your description, then he’s extremely dangerous, and it’s better that we don’t’ fight him yet,” L replied cautiously.

You know what, that’s better than nothing. I’ll take it. Light gave an affirming nod and caught up to Misa, whispering in her ear urgently. “Keep your eyes peeled for anything suspicious, but don’t stress yourself out. It’s not close by, but I did see something.”

Misa nearly jumped before taking what he said to heart. “Which way was it going?”

“Opposite of us before it vanished.”

“Then we should put more distance between us.” Without another word, she hopped ahead, Light letting out an annoyed grunt and calling out for her to wait once again. He kept the same pace, L close behind, though the Sneasel stalled as if sensing something.

“Ah, I think we should—” L couldn’t finish the sentence as Light and Misa burst into a clearing, and hordes of wild Pokémon leapt at them from the bushes and trees. From where he was standing, he could see four Ledian and two Venomoth from above, three Nuzleaf circling them, and two Raticate hidden in the shadows. He gritted his teeth and scurried to the nearest tree, climbing up to get a better view.

“What the hell!?” Light gasped, his fists pulsing with energy as he got into a defensive stance with his back pressed to Misa’s. A Raticate darted to him with its teeth bared and he retaliated with a Force Palm to the cheek, his heart pounding in his chest as the horde drew in closer.

Misa coiled her ears up and echoed his defenses. “Shoot, it’s a monster house! They were expecting us!” She jumped back as Razor Leaves nearly sliced her arms before Jump Kicking the closest Nuzleaf and sending it flying to its partner.

“Well maybe we would have known that if you didn’t rush in here!” Light yelled before pain surged through his chest with a Ledian sending a flurry of punches, launching him into Misa.

The Buneary yelped, falling forward as Light tumbled over her. She roughly pushed him off. “Hey! You ran in here too!” She gasped when a Venomoth flew above, preparing to flap its wings at them. A loud, pained trill sputtered from the Venomoth as L struck it from the trees with a chilling Triple Axel, spinning faster each time until its frozen wings made it hit the ground and faint.

He landed beside them, helping them to their feet. “If you’re done bickering, then keep your eyes peel for an opening!” He commanded harshly, slashing at the Ledian who countered with a punch to the shoulder, making him grab it and grunt. Another Raticate leapt from the shadows, but L barely swerved to the side, slashing his claws down its flank.

Misa hopped over Light, doing a flip and diving down with her foot stretched out, kicking the Raticate in the back and knocking it out. She gave a small nod to L and jumped at the other Raticate with Light, combining her Jump Kick with his Force Palm, which made it fly back, getting knocked on its head and fainting upon impact.

A sharp, powdery wind suddenly filled the room, as the other Venomoth flapped its wings furiously, pounding at the three while the rest of the horde stepped back. Light covered his eyes, wincing at the slight pain of the wind. It wasn’t too serious, like a small sting, something that could easily be withstood as he adjusted. However, out of the corner of his eye, he could see L clenching his teeth and squeezing his eyes shut like he was in serious pain.

Light stomped into the ground and forced his eyes open. The leaves from the trees snapped from its branches, swirling around everyone like a tornado. He clenched his fists and lunged at Venomoth, the impact of the wind becoming more intense and buffering his Quick Attack. He let out a scream and tackled the poison-bug type, sending it twirling back and stopping its own attack before he landed. “Are you both okay!?”

“Yeah, I’m fine! L?” Misa turned to L, worriedly.

L gripped his head and winced before nodding.

Light sighed with relief, but it didn’t ease the racing in his chest as the horde circled closer again, becoming angrier. More Raticate stalked out from the shadows, snarling with their teeth bared. He pressed his back against L and Misa’s, searching desperately for a way out. That’s when he saw it. From the left there weren’t as many wild Pokémon concentrated. He nudged them and whispered, “Over there.”

L and Misa looked over their shoulders, both nodding in affirmation. “I’ll distract them,” Misa whispered back.

Light’s eyes widened. “No, that’s too dangerous.”

“But what choice do we have? If we all try running, they’ll only overwhelm us. I’ll be fine, just trust me,” Misa whispered, her eyes wide with desperation.

Light held her gaze, not wanting to see her get hurt despite earlier. He could feel the strong will to prove herself and save them coursing through her. It burned just as brightly as his own. He closed his eyes and sighed. “Alright, just be careful.”

Misa smiled and turned on her toes, darting in the opposite direction of their opening. “Hey! Over here!” She called, waving her arms to draw the wild Pokémon’s attention. They all turned, most of them focused on the Buneary isolated from the others, chasing her as she bounced towards the trees.

A few Raticate lingered, more interested in taking care of Light and L as they all charged at once. One bit into Light’s left arm, a stabbing pain shooting through him while the energy surging through his right hand suddenly became stronger. The Raticate screeched as he slammed his palm into its cheek, wincing in pain when its teeth ripped from his skin from rolling back. The other two dove at L, who got tackled by one, retaliating with a Triple Axel, hurling it into the other. Light squeezed his left arm, blood oozing from the bite as he and L made a break for the corridor of trees, taking cover in the bushes.

They turned back, seeing Misa had bounced into one of the lower trees, dodging the Ledian and Venomoth’s attacks by jumping from branch to branch. The Nuzleaf were climbing the trees, sneering while sending Razor Leaves towards her. She cried out as they struck her, losing balance and grabbing onto the branch, clinging to it for dear life. Her eyes were blown wide open as she gasped for breath. Raticate were scratching at the trunks, gnashing their teeth while some jumped up, narrowly missing her. Another Ledian was preparing to charge at her when…

KABOOM!!!

An explosion sent it spiraling into the tree, rustling the leaves, and Misa hugged her branch tighter. She frantically jerked her head in the direction of the source, relieved to see Light and L both holding blast seeds in their hands.

The wild Pokémon glared at them, the Raticate snarling while the Nuzleaf were debating whether to go for them or continue climbing for Misa. Light’s eyes narrowed, as he and L drew their hands back, simultaneously launching their blast seeds at the trunk, a huge explosion engulfing the Raticate and some of the lower Nuzleaf in flames, knocking them out in an instant.

The trunk smoldered as Misa hoisted herself back up while the Ledian and Venomoth scattered frantically, avoiding the fire. She took a deep breath and dove from the branch, narrowly avoiding the burning pyre below. Her feet staggered when she hit the ground before regaining balance and leapt towards L and Light.

The three raced through the thick trees, not looking back as branches and bushes scraped them, the crackling flames dying down in the distance. Light’s heart nearly burst from his chest, his ears ringing while the adrenaline forced him to keep going. The three slowed to a stop, gasping for breath as silence filled the deep forest.

Light immediately unclasped the flap to the treasure bag and opened it, digging through for their oran berry supply. He passed them around, Misa and L thanking him as they bit into them, a blend of flavors swimming in their tastebuds. A dull pain throbbed in his arm but melted into relief as the wound healed and his energy returned. How these berries worked, he could never explain, but at this moment, he was grateful for them. His hands shook, head spinning while processing how they got so lucky to receive minimal injuries. “We actually made it…” His voice was breathy, relieved, with a hint of a laugh in it.

Misa sighed, leaning against a tree. “Is everyone okay? I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean for things to get out of control, I—” She paused, blinking in confusion when she heard a snort from Light, starting small, before it turned into a full-blown laugh. There wasn’t a hint of spite or mocking in it, just pure relief as he laid on his back. Maybe he finally lost his mind, or maybe it was just all the stress and irritation finally being released. She glanced at L, who was just as confused as she was, before she giggled and burst out laughing, laying back as the soft, muted maroon grass welcomed her with open arms. Eventually, L joined in too with a few quiet chuckles while crouching down into his familiar comfort position.

As the laughter died down, Light stared up at the leaves. “Yes, I’m okay, Misa, are you?” He tilted his head up towards her.

Misa sat up, sheepishly tugging at the fleece near her hips. “Thanks to you two, I am,” Her voice was gentle and fond. “You really saved my life back there, I thought I was…” She broke off and shuddered. “This was my fault, I’m so sorry. I got so caught up in wanting to reach the end that I wasn’t really listening to what you were saying.”

Light blinked and hummed, hearing the remorse in her voice as he sat up, reflecting on his own actions. Yes, it was true that she was being annoying and reckless, but he hadn’t exactly been the nicest to her either. He took a deep breath, propping a knee up and resting his arms and chin on it. “I’m sorry too, I shouldn’t have lashed out as much as I did. That wasn’t helping, was it?”

Misa chuckled and shook her head. “No, not really, so I guess we’re even then?” When Light nodded, she smiled and sighed with relief.  “Good. Man, I really blew this one, huh? Lopunny’s going to be so disappointed.”

Light exhaled quietly when Misa’s expression turned dejected, eyebrows lifting in clarity as he stared at her. So that’s what this is about, He thought, realizing just how much he could relate to her in this vulnerable moment. The burning feeling of wanting to prove yourself, wasn’t this one that Light had experienced just this morning? Wasn’t it so easy to get caught up in them that you lost track of the world around you, that it could consume you if you allowed it? Yesterday’s events ghosted his mind, and he shivered, shaking them away before smiling slightly at her. “What do you mean? This exploration isn’t over yet.”

“What?” Misa leaned forward. “But I thought you would want to go back after that.”

Light chuckled. “Are you kidding? I’m not just going to call it quits because of a little monster house,” He grinned slightly. “Besides, you’re not the only one with something to prove. You’re not done yet either, are you, L?” There was a challenge in his voice as he raised an eyebrow to his partner.

“I have no objections. This whole exploration has me curious of what lies at the end. It would be pointless to go back now when we’re this far in and taking the time to rest.” L glanced at the two, an intrigued grin crawling up his face as he curled his claw over his lip. “Speaking of which, I must say, despite how reckless you’ve been up to this point, I’m impressed by your ability to navigate dungeons and completely throw off your opponents in battle as well as your strength, of course. We could use someone with your talent; how would you like to become a member of our team. Would this be okay with you, Light?”

Misa joining our team, huh? She is talented, I can’t deny that. And after this talk, surely, she’ll begin to tone down her reckless tendencies a bit. They could be helpful to make battles unpredictable for our opponents, but I imagine it’ll take some time to reign them in fully. Old habits die hard after all, and that could get annoying. But she’s not as bad as I was making her out to be. We could learn a few things from each other, and this feeling that I’ve met her before, maybe when we get back to the guild, I can ask her about it if she joins. Plus, her energetic personality does bring some morale to the team once you get used to it. What the hell, why not? Light smiled warmly and sincerely at her. “Sure, just as long as you promise to be more careful.”

Misa’s eyes sparkled at the proposal, and she jumped up eagerly. “You really mean it? Oh, thank you, guys! I would love too, but on one condition!” She held a hand up. “I know from Wigglytuff that you prefer to apprehend criminals, L, and I’m perfectly fine with helping with that, but only if we can also do missions like this too. I don’t want to give up my passions just to join a team.”

“That can be arranged,” L replied with a nod as he stood up. “Then it is agreed?”

“Yes! Of course! Thank you so much! I promise not to let either of you down!” Misa jumped at both of them, giving a tight hug.

L tensed up, eyes wide while Light awkwardly pried her off and chuckled. “Hey now, it’s no trouble, but I don’t think we’re quite ready for hugs yet.”

Misa jumped back, rubbing the back of her head with embarrassment as one of her ears coiled into a ball. “Oops, sorry. I’ll keep that in mind.”

Light reached out his hand and smiled when she shook it. “Welcome to the team, Misa, now let’s finish this.”

Chapter Text

The atmosphere felt calmer than when the group first began traversing through Midnight Forest. It was hard to tell how far they’ve gone or how close they were to the end. But with the monster house far behind them, Misa could finally relax as she took the lead. The expectations of succeeding and making her mentor proud eased as her conversation with Light and L lingered in her head. And now she’s going to be joining their team! Her heart raced with giddiness while her mind imagined all the discoveries they could make in the future.

She didn’t expect to be invited so quickly, especially considering Light had been arguing with her most of the trek. In hindsight, she knew she needed someone to reign her in, but at the time, all she could think was that he was some stuck-up prick who always had to be a killjoy. Granted, he could have said it in a nicer way, but in the heat of the moment, it was easy for both of their tempers to flare. She looked back at her new teammates, smiling gratefully at them for saving and understanding her.

Light met her gaze and smiled slightly, while L was staring off into the distance, deep in thought. She found both of them to be so interesting. There wasn’t a doubt in her mind that Light was a charming Riolu, considering how he greeted her earlier, even though he does have a bit of a temper. Despite this, he seemed like a pretty nice guy who was intent on doing things right and making sure everyone is safe. Someone she could depend on.

As for L, Misa found him to be a strange individual. Quieter than most Pokémon and constantly staring like he was analyzing everyone’s every little movement. And admittedly, he was blunt in the way he spoke. She thought his mannerisms were strange too. Why does he sit the way he does or bite his claws absentmindedly? And what was going through his head? His expressions were so difficult to read, aside from when he was amused by her and Light’s arguing. She remembered Wigglytuff telling stories about what a great apprentice he was, but there was so much mystery surrounding him. Light too for that matter.

It left her wanting to know more, and she also couldn’t ignore a feeling nagging her brain like she knew them before. However, they didn’t seem to share the same sentiment, making her question if bringing up her past would be worth it. At the very least, maybe she could break the ice a little.

“Is something bothering you, Misa? You’ve been staring for a few minutes now,” Light asked, tilting his head to the side.

She stopped, falling back so she could walk in line with Light and L. “Oh, sorry, I was just wanting to ask some questions to get to know you better.”

Light rubbed the back of his head, a hint of nerves flashing in his eyes before smiling awkwardly. “Well, I might not be able to tell you much, but what is it you want to know? You did ask a lot of questions earlier that I didn’t catch.”

“That’s true,” Misa laughed quietly. “So, how long have you both been at the guild? And do you enjoy it?”

“Well, I’ve only been at the guild for a few days now. I met L when I was down on my luck, and he offered for me to join his team,” He smiled gratefully at L before continuing. “As for if I’m enjoying it, honestly, I am. The other apprentices have been super friendly and welcoming, and they’re all certainly a colorful bunch.”

“Only a few days!?” Misa gasped and jumped closer, eyes wide and sparkling while her paws cupped her cheeks. “That’s amazing! But you already seem like such an experienced explorer!”

A prideful grin lit up Light’s face as he held his chin up and closed his eyes. “I have been told I’ve been adapting quickly,” There was a smug tone in his voice, though Misa couldn’t help but be impressed by him.

She giggled. “No wonder Wigglytuff chose you both,” She complimented and added with a playful nudge, “Then I better not see you slowing me down again!”

The challenge lit a fire in Light’s eyes, and he smirked while folding his arms. “I’d expect the same from you, Miss Misa.”

Misa laughed warmly before turning to L. “And what about you?”

“I’ve been at the guild for about a year now, I believe. Though I officially joined as an apprentice a few months after,” L explained. “The work there keeps me busy, especially figuring out how and why criminals act before catching them, and the company of the current apprentices at the guild is what could best be described as pleasant. I’ve had to deal with some unruly apprentices in the past who’ve graduated now, but they don’t particularly matter to me.”

Huh. I thought he’d have more to say about it. Misa’s ears twitched curiously as she pressed further. “So, you’ve been an apprentice at the guild for almost a year, and you’re only now finding a partner?” She winced at the phrasing and waved her hands frantically. “Wait, no, that came out wrong! I’m sorry! I guess what I’m wondering is what made you ask him to join?”

There was silence for a moment, as a breath caught in L’s throat quietly. “I found him to be interesting and thought his skills were impressive, similar to you.”

“That is pretty much how it happened,” Light confirmed with a shrug. “We had a bit of a test run with some Pokémon acting stupid before he asked.”

Misa blinked, puzzled. “What do you mean?”

“A Koffing and Zubat robbed me with Light as a witness, so I used it as a test to see what he would do,” L bit his claw, smirking. “I could’ve handled them with no issues, but he passed.”

“Oh wow, that is stupid. What did they try to steal from you?”

L took his necklace off, carefully handing it to her, which she carefully cupped in both palms. “I call it the Relic Fragment,” He explained, tapping on the pattern inscribed in it. “I found it one day when exploring with another guild member and decided to keep it because of how fascinating the pattern was.”

Misa examined it closely, feeling her heart race just taking in the pure mystery of the pattern. Never in her whole year spent with Team Charm had she seen anything like this. Other Pokémon might give it a passing glance and think it’s just a simple rock, but she could tell this was something special. Did it lead somewhere? Was it a key to a new dungeon? Or maybe even a treasure unlike anything anyone has ever seen. She handed it back to him, noticing he had his hand out the entire time like he was antsy to get it back. “Have you tried figuring out what the pattern means? Or if it goes somewhere?”

“I haven’t had the time to.”

“Seriously!? But this could be a huge discovery! How could you not have the time!?” Misa gasped with her paws on her hips, leaning closer as he put it back on. “Could you imagine how famous our team would be if we discovered something incredible with it!?”

“Or it could just be a simple pattern and lead to nowhere,” L replied with a shrug.

“You’re such a killjoy,” Misa huffed. “Don’t you want to solve the mystery behind it?”

L curled his claws around it. “It would be nice to.”

Thank Arceus! Misa would have lost her mind if she had to spend hours convincing him. “Well, then we should start as soon as possible! After all, you’ve got a skilled treasure hunter on your team now,” She bragged with a playful wink. “We’re going to make time and start searching, got it?”

L blinked, seeming touched by her words and smiled slightly. “Got it.”

“And where do you think we should start?” Light asked.

“No idea!” Misa declared confidently, before adding in a calmer voice. “We could investigate dungeons we’ve all been through and see if there’s like anything that stands out.”

Light snorted and shook his head in amusement. “Sounds like a plan. So, what’s it like being mentored by a Master Rank team?”

Misa smiled brightly, the excitement bubbling up at his interest in her experience. Everything she could say overflowed her mind, just waiting to burst out. She could hardly stay still as she gushed. “They’re totally amazing and the best Master Rank team EVER! Lopunny is super gorgeous and taught me everything I need to know about being a treasure hunter! And Gardevoir helped me on my feet when I was feeling down, relating to me when times got difficult while also teaching the strategies of exploration! And then Medicham trained me to defend myself better! A lot of the way I fight comes from her, though the charm is from Lopunny!” She winked playfully. “It’s a huge honor being their protégé, and I’ve gotten to travel all around the Grass Continent because of it. We’ve even sailed to the Air Continent to explore with some old friends of Gardevoir and Medicham’s! That was really fun! Have you guys ever been there?”

L spoke up first. “Yes, the guildmaster and I went there once, but we didn’t explore the dungeons due to the visit being brief.”

Light shook his head. “Honestly this is the furthest I’ve gone from the guild,” He added with interest. “I’m curious to know what it’s like.”

“Oh, it’s beautiful! Especially the town we stayed in! We explored this dungeon called Wish Cave, though… it ended up being a bit too much for us, so we had to pull back. The dungeon was crazy, it took away our strength, and we had to start from square one again. Everything returned to normal once we left. Maybe one day we could go there and visit!” Misa hopped up at the idea, raising her voice in excitement.

Light’s jaw gaped, his eyes widening. “There are dungeons like that!? How does that even work!?”

L hummed, tapping his lip in curiosity. “I’ve heard rumors they do, perhaps it’s a similar power to what causes the layout to change each time you enter. Something much stronger that influences your strength. Such a dungeon would pose a fascinating challenge. Theoretically, it doesn’t matter how strong you are entering. It would be your level of knowledge and strategy, combined with efficiently finding ways to get stronger before the dungeon overwhelms you. More experienced explorers would still have a higher chance of success than amateurs, I’d imagine.”

It blew Misa’s mind how L was able to think and theorize as quickly as he did. How did he come up with that on the spot? “Maybe, but it did hurt our pride a little to get defeated. Medicham had already been there once before forming Team Charm but never made it to the end. She was livid when we were couldn’t get through this time either. She and Lopunny ranted about it for days! Have you guys had any tough losses before?”

“Not yet, but this is only my third official job so come back to me later.” Light replied, and smugly added, “Unless I just never lose.”

Misa scoffed. “Oh WHATEVER, everyone loses at least once eventually, don’t let your adaptability get to your head.” When he snickered in response, she rolled her eyes and turned to L. “You’ve had more experience compared to him, what about you?”

L looked down, his bangs casting his eyes in shadow. “There… was one time,” He admitted, “Though if you don’t mind, I’d rather not go into details about it.” His tone had a hint of somberness to it while he fidgeted with the Relic Fragment.

Misa began regretting asking the question, though at the same time, she was curious of what happened to make him react this way. She turned to Light for answers, but the way his eyebrow was raised revealed he was just as clueless as she was. She gave an apologetic smile, reaching out to him.

L flinched when her paw brushed his back, making her pull away. He didn’t say anything else, just stood there hiding his face from them. It was like with one sentence, the entire weight of the world was on his shoulders, threatening to push him down.

Though she wanted to prod a little more, she held herself back and instead asked, “Do you need anything from us?”

He breathed out a heavy sigh, scratching the back of his head and turning to give his teammates a small, grateful smile. “Thank you for your concern, but I assure you, everything is okay.”

Misa blinked and smiled slightly at him. “Well, if you do, just let us know, ‘kay?”

L nodded slowly, and the trio continued their trek quietly. The air was a bit awkward, until Light began talking again. His hands were expressive while he went into detail about the battle against Koffing and Zubat. L chimed in a few times, lazily kicking his leg out while describing how he knocked out Zubat in one hit. Light then took over once again, gloating about how Koffing didn’t stand a chance against him, which made Misa chuckle.

Everything was surprisingly quiet as the never-ending sea of trees passed by. Light put up his aura a couple times but couldn’t see anything close by. Not even any wild Pokémon. Strange. Were they near the end? Misa’s heart raced at the idea until her ears twitched and she froze. A distant scream reached them, making her whip around to the west. “Did you hear that?”

“Hear what?” Light asked, as everyone slowed to a stop.

Ears perked up, Misa didn’t respond as she listened carefully. Another scream reached them once again, louder this time, and she gasped, breaking off into a sprinting jump. She could hear Light calling for her once again, a twinge of annoyance ringing through his voice, but she ignored it. Her heart raced as she kept alert while hopping through the trees. The closer she got, the louder the screams became, and a gruff voice emerged and yelled over them.

She slid to a stop over a cliffside, peeking over a bush to see a Rhydon in a clearing, towering over a group of small Pokémon, consisting of two Oddish, a Hoppip, and a Shroomish. The Oddish and Hoppip were huddled together while the Shroomish stood in front of them protectively, shakily glaring up at the Rhydon in defiance. One of the Oddish screamed again before huddling into his twin when the fierce Pokémon shouted at him.

“Shut the hell up! No one can hear you!” Rhydon stomped his foot, pupils narrowed and grinning maniacally at the trembling Pokémon. “Now listen up! Just do as I say, and no one will get hurt!”

Misa gasped quietly, her teeth clenching as she readied herself to jump out. The sound of her teammates catching up filled her ears as her shoulders tensed, whipping around to silently shush them before either of them said anything. At first Light looked annoyed, but saw the urgency on her face and nodded, stealthily walking beside her to get a view while L approached from the other side.

Recognition sparked in L’s eyes. “He’s a criminal,” He whispered, leaning closer with intrigue. “The police have been hunting him down for weeks now for counts of kidnapping, earning himself a spot as a B rank criminal. To think this is where he ended up. How fortunate for us.”

“Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s get the jump on him!” Misa was about ready to leap into the clearing when Light grabbed her wrist. She huffed in surprise and flashed him a questioning, annoyed look.

“Hold on, we need to think through this carefully, if we don’t the hostages could get killed,” Light whispered, watching Rhydon carefully as he barked orders to the Pokémon.

“We don’t have time to think, he’s going to get away or kill them anyway if we wait.”

He was about to retort when Shroomish grabbed their attention from crying out, “L-Leave us alone!” The opening in her head puffed in before spewing out a yellow powdery substance in Rhydon’s face, making him recoil before regaining his stability with a stomp of his foot. His drill whirled threateningly as he let out a powerful roar, the trees rustling from the force, and ducked his head to attack.

Misa jumped from the bushes swiftly, flipping in the air and diving towards Rhydon. A crack rang through the trees as she kicked him on the side of the head, making him stumble. Pain flared in her heel from the impact on his hardened armor, and she hopped back, standing protectively in front of the small Pokémon.

Rhydon gripped his head, blinking multiple times before glaring down at her. Surprise filled his eyes before he smirked and burst out laughing. “Well well well! Looks like some big shot came here to save the day!” He leaned down; his claws bared as his cold eyes met hers. “Do you think you stand a chance against me?”

The two held each other’s gaze intensely, as Misa had her arms spread out in front of the frightened Pokémon, her fur bristling. A drop of sweat dripped from her fur, and she winced at the feeling. Then she smirked, tilting her chin up as she whispered in a teasing tone. “Awwwwww, did you really think I came here alone?”

A blur flashed by, kicking up the fallen leaves around them. It could have easily been mistaken for wind if the two didn’t see a lithe, dark shape in the blur. Rhydon warily shifted in the direction, before the same blur rushed behind him, sending a chill down his spine. Gritting his teeth, his horn whirled at blinding speed, lunging down at Misa.

She leapt back, pushing the scared Pokémon with her. The ground trembled as Rhydon’s horn slammed into it, getting stuck as he pushed against the grass. Misa gently shoved Shroomish. “Quick! Get to safety, we’ll be fine!”

Shroomish opened her mouth to argue but then noted her friends’ injuries and nodded. She gently nudged them, one of the Oddish tripping over his legs frantically before finding his footing again, as they all scurried into the bushes.

Dirt kicked up around Misa with the sound of whirring as Rhydon pulled his horn free. His jaw hung open, panting and growling angrily. His fists slammed into the grass, jagged, round rocks shooting up around him. As his hand surged forward, the same blur rushed by, stopping in front of him and revealing to be L. The Sneasel breathed in and blew out a chilling wind that pushed the raging Pokémon back.

Misa grinned, rushing behind Rhydon and jumping up. A brown blur followed from the bushes beside her, revealing to be Light, his fists surging with blue energy. The two grinned, as Light slammed his palms into Rhydon’s back, the energy exploding as the rocks around them crumbled. Misa quickly followed, the wind making her ears wave around as her heel slammed into the spot where Light struck.

Rhydon fell forward, only to be met by a frozen triple axel to the jaw. The second one connected with a louder crack; a loose fang flying from his mouth. Growling in pain from the attack, he dug his claws into the earth, his arms forcefully grasping more rocks from beneath. He reared back, attempting to strike L first, but the agile Sneasel darted into the shadows. Twisting his body, He slammed the rocks into Light and Misa, pinning both of them to the ground.

He was about to strike again when L leapt from a tree and landed on his back, blowing out a second Icy Wind onto his head. His hands reached for the Sneasel, grabbing his leg and throwing him off. L held his arms out, catching himself and tumbling in the grass twice before digging his claws into the dirt.

Light coughed and growled, his eyes narrowing to slits as his fingers dug into the rock. The aura around him flared, illuminating the forest as he slammed his palms into them, making them shatter to pieces. He helped Misa up before turning silently to bolt at Rhydon, slamming his palms into the rock type’s side.

Rhydon slammed his tail into Light, growling when the fighting type held on. “You brat!” His tail heavily struck into the ground to shake him off, as the earth trembled around them.

L and Misa held their arms out, bracing themselves against the Earthquake while Light was flung into the air. Rhydon smirked, sweeping his tail into the two staggering Pokemon. They skidded back against the grass, scraping their arms and body.

Light grimaced, gripping the treasure bag tightly as Rhydon surged upwards, his drill whirling as it slammed into the Riolu’s chest. He gasped in pain, pushing against the rock type and aimed another Force Palm to the head, more aggressively than the last.

The air around them burst, as Rhydon was flung back down, leaves falling from the trees from a heavy thud striking the earth. Smoke billowed from his face as he heaved himself back up, his armor dented and stained muted maroon. Though he was panting heavily, a strong hatred burned in his red eyes, indicating that he was far from throwing in the towel.

Barely managing to land on his feet, Light staggered, gripping his side tightly. His teammates ran to him, Misa gasping worriedly and looking over his injuries. Though Rhydon wasn’t able to puncture him, a nasty bruise was already forming on his chest. He slowly pulled an oran berry from their bag, realizing that after this one there would only be one left and grimaced, biting into it. The pain slowly soothed as his energy returned.

The sound of the wind picked up through the still forest as Rhydon dragged his foot along the ground, the grass clinging to his heels as he left an impression. He breathed out heavily, limbs twitching as he lumbered to them. His movement was lethargic, worn down from the battle, before finding his second wind and charging headfirst. The three dodged, his movement berserk as he swung his arms furiously, tail thrashing from side to side, his roar rattling the trees.

L clung to one of the trees, eyes squinting as he analyzed Rhydon’s movement. He bit his claws, eyes widening in revelation as he hung against the tree with one hand. “Wait until he stops thrashing!”

Misa and Light nodded, darting into the bushes and luring Rhydon away from the hostages. They hopped into the trees, Light having to climb as the raging Pokemon continued shaking the ground with the heavy trampling of his feet. He glowered up at them, winding up his tail and colliding into the tree the two climbed. As the branches shook, they carefully hopped into another, watching Rhydon’s blind rage make him kick, punch, and headbutt the original one with all his might. The roots ripped from the earth, making it fall over with a thud, as he slowed his attacks and gasped for breath.

“NOW!” L commanded, darting from tree to tree, until he was above Rhydon and grinned. He spun down as his ice swirled around his foot, kicking the weary Pokemon in the jaw. Light followed suit, landing behind Rhydon as he fell, and struck him in the back, returning him to L. The Sneasel spun around, kicking the rock type in the chin before looking up at Misa, who was already diving from the trees.

She flipped twice before her heel collided with the side of his horn, the tip breaking off. He stumbled back, eyes wide and arms stretched forward, before falling back in faint. The three panted, inching closer with their guard up to make sure he was down. L cautiously poked him in the cheek before giving the others an affirming nod.

Misa sighed with relief and hurried to where the hostages were hidden. “It’s okay, you guys! You’re safe now, you can come out!”

Shroomish was the first to slowly peek out, eyeing Rhydon warily, before hopping into the open. The Oddish brothers and Hoppip followed soon after. Upon closer inspection, Misa could see that each of them were covered in bruises. Shroomish cautiously skittered closer to her and whispered, “Thank you, miss,” Her voice was raspy but full of gratitude. “We didn’t think anyone would save us. Truly, we owe you so much.”

“Aw, you don’t owe us anything!” Misa reassured and winked, which made the grass type blush. “Right now, we need to focus on getting you a doctor. Light, L, can your badges bring us back to Treasure Town? I don’t have one of my own.”

Light stared with cold, narrowed eyes at Rhydon, before gritting his teeth and looking away. L gently brushed his arm, and the two dragged the unconscious rock type closer, grunting from exertion before dropping his arms. L pulled out his badge. “Yes, they should be able to bring all of us back.”

“Wait, hold on,” Light said, whatever was bothering him seeming to fade. “What about getting through the rest of the dungeon?”

The rest of the dungeon… She looked into the distance, wondering how close they were to the end. They’ve come so far, already gone through so much, was she going to make the decision to go back now? It would mean losing all her progress, and someone potentially getting to the end before she does. However, she smiled and replied, “This is more important; they still need us. This can wait til another day.”

Light blinked and smiled warmly, impressed by her decision. “Then we’ll make sure that happens soon.” He pulled out his badge as he and L held them up. The green buttons shimmered, a bright light swirling around them before shooting up, making more leaves break from their branches as they were enveloped. It felt as if they were warping through time and space itself, the forest shifting into a crossroad Misa hadn’t been to before.
 

As the light faded, Misa blinked, taking in the new area around her. The staircase to the north, leading up to what she believed was the Wigglytuff Guild at the peak. The sounds of Pokémon convening in the bustling town to the west. This must be Treasure Town! She thought, stepping towards it with her paws over her chest. There was another staircase that led south, but where to? And to the east was a stone well and a pathway that led out into the endless expanse of the world. On the side of the road, she could see a round stone and wooden building, its shape resembling a Mabosstiff, with Magnemite floating near the entrance, following a burly, red-orange and gray furred Arcanine.

“Ah, seems one of them is already out, perfect,” L said, snapping her out of her thoughts as he was following her eye movement. He shuffled over to the Arcanine, engaging quietly in conversation with him. Misa stretched her ears out, seeing if she could pick up on what they were discussing, but he was too far away, and his hushed tone didn’t reach. Her ears folded in swiftly when they looked their way, and she whistled innocently. Light snorted next to her.

The Arcanine walked up to Rhydon, his eyes narrowed and focused as he sniffed the rock type cautiously. A few Magnemite swarmed around the two, awaiting a command from the Arcanine. He nodded at them slowly and turned to L. “Thank you for your cooperation, L. We’ll be sure this scoundrel is locked away properly and alert the hostages’ families of their rescue.” He scanned over the small grass type Pokémon, sighing with relief to see their injuries were minor. “Can the guild handle treating them in the meantime?”

“Yes, Chimecho has plenty of medicine stocked, they’ll be taken care of.”

That put the Arcanine at ease as his expression softened. “Give my thanks to her please.”

“Of course.”

The Arcanine graciously nodded, preparing to carry Rhydon away with the Magnemite when he froze. A chill ran down his spine, his fur bristling while his ears pricked up.

L’s brow furrowed while Misa hummed in confusion at the sudden change in demeanor, following his gaze and seeing he was staring directly at Light. Tension filled the air, one so thick that even a Gallade’s scythes would struggle slicing through. Light’s eyes were blown so wide that the pupils nearly blocked out the brown irises, his hands trembling like he was seeing a ghost.

The Arcanine took a breath, closing his eyes to compose himself before shaking his head. “Sorry… have we met before?”

Light was completely frozen in place, struggling to find the words as his voice strained for something. “I… don’t know,” He stammered, forcing a smile. “My name is Light, and you are…?”

“Officer Raye, a member of the police,” Raye answered, his voice steady and on guard. “Are you new around here?”

“Yes, a new apprentice at the guild. I’m a member of L’s team.”

“I see… so you’re the one who…” Raye broke off when he saw Light flinch. “Well, then I suppose I should thank you for your cooperation as well Light,” He nodded approvingly to the Riolu before shifting to Misa. “And you too, Miss…?”

Misa jumped at suddenly being acknowledged and blurted out, “Misa! Protégé of Team Charm!”

“A pleasure, Misa,” Raye lowered his head, nosing Rhydon over his shoulders, his muscles straining slightly from lifting him up. The Magnemite hovered under the criminal’s arms and legs, giving extra support. “I’ll leave the rest to you three, and we’ll alert the guild once the hostage’s families arrive.”

L’s gaze shifted from Raye to Light, analyzing their interaction like he was figuring out in his head what the connection between the two are. It left him puzzled and preparing for more questions. However, he left them unsaid as he slowly nodded to Raye. “Yes, thank you. If you don’t mind, I’d like to speak with Rhydon about a certain Pokémon we’ve been after tomorrow.”

“That can be arranged with the chief.”

“Excellent, then I’ll be sure to stop by the station once we get the time.”

“Understood, we’ll be on our way. Light, Misa, nice meeting you, feel free to stop by the station with L and get acquainted with the other officers tomorrow.” Raye’s ears twitched as Rhydon grumbled and shifted, and he let out a warning growl. “Don’t even think about making a break for it.” His weight shifted as he faced east to the station, carrying the rock type with surprising ease. “You all have a good night.”

The group watched Raye and the Magnemite disappear into the station before turning to the injured Pokémon and looked towards the guild. Hues of pink and orange painted the skies with the setting sun. There was a lingering question between all three of them, but now wasn’t the time to ask. They headed up towards the guild, going through what Misa could only guess was the security system where they… check your footprint? Weird. As they shuffled down the ladder, the three helped Shroomish and the Oddish brothers down carefully while Hoppip hovered above Misa’s head.

A wave of awe crashed over Misa at the sight of the apprentices convening in the guild. A few exploration teams lingered, gathering their rewards from the clients while a Chatot oversaw them. A Poochyena barked at Chatot angrily as he took the reward money, shuffling through it before giving the team a smaller amount. Chatot scolded him back, declaring this is all guild rules, and the Poochyena and his brothers scowled, storming out of the guild and leaving their client, a Pichu, dumbfounded. She could hear Chatot apologizing on the guild’s behalf while turning to see the rest of the room.

A Bidoof, Sunflora, and Chimecho were all huddled together, Sunflora telling them a story of her exploration, while Chimecho and Bidoof watched with warm, kind smiles. L breathed out a quiet oh and approached the group, crouching down next to them and letting Sunflora finish her story. His gaze was completely focused on her, studying her excited movement, the way her voice rose a pitch as she told the climax, how she sheepishly rubbed the back of her head and blushed when Bidoof praised her. Misa could see a small smile crossing on the Sneasel’s face before asking Chimecho to come with him for a moment.

“What’s going on?” Chimecho asked as Bidoof and Sunflora gave concerned looks.

“We ran into some trouble while going through Midnight Forest,” L explained, gesturing to the injured Pokémon who were now resting. “Do you think you could give these Pokémon here an exam. They don’t look to be seriously injured, but it would be nice if they could get one sooner rather than later.”

Chimecho immediately went into doctor mode, rushing to the injured group as she looked them over. “Hi, my name’s Chimecho, you look like you’ve been through so much, if you all don’t mind coming with me, I’ll take a look at those injuries.”

Shroomish sighed with relief, helping the Oddish brother’s back up and smiling at Team Task Force. “Thanks again for saving us, Miss Misa. And Light and L too.”

“Yes! Thank you!” The Oddish brothers exclaimed in unison, standing on their toes while their leaves shuffled. Hoppip gave a small smile, mouthing a quiet thank you, and the four followed Chimecho down to the bottom floor. It took a weight off Misa’s chest knowing that they were all going to be well taken care of.

“OH MY GOSH!” Sunflora’s excited voice grabbed Misa’s attention, her leafy limbs on her cheeks with a huge, open smile. “Are you Misa!? Team Charm’s protégé!?” Just yelling that out loud had all the other apprentices in the guild staring in shock.

Pride bubbled up in Misa’s chest from instantly being recognized, and she smiled, posing cutely with her paws under her chin. “Yup! That’s me!” She winked charismatically, which made the rest of the apprentices crowd around her.

“Wow! Amazing! We ACTUALLY get to meet THE Misa!”

“Yup yup! It’s so nice to meet you!”

“I have so many questions to ask! Oh my gosh!”

“Don’t hog all her time, Sunflora! We do too! Hey hey!”

Misa giggled at the apprentices, feeling so alive from all the attention, and preparing to answer any questions they had. A part of her didn’t expect to be so popular among the guild, but considering who she was affiliated with, it shouldn’t have been a surprise. Before they could ask, Chatot flew above everyone and squawked.

“Enough! Show some respect to our guest!”

The apprentices backed up, each stammering out apologies which only made Misa giggle. She was used to this sort of attention; it didn’t bother her a bit. Chatot flew in a circle around the apprentices before landing in front of Misa.

“My apologies for their rude behavior, Miss Misa.” Chatot bowed politely. “They have a tendency to get overexcited, but it comes from a good place. We weren’t expecting to see you here. I hope your exploration with Team Task Force was satisfactory. They didn’t cause you any trouble, did they?”

“Nope! None at all!” Not entirely the truth, but she was part of the problem too, so it all balanced out. “I’m actually joining their team~!”

A chorus of gasps erupted from the crowd, both of excitement and shock. Loudred held his hands up in front of his mouth, yelling to Light and L, “LUCKY!” Chatot gave him a disapproving glare, making him jump and laugh shakily while scratching his head.

“Well! We would be delighted to have y—”

“MISA MISA!!!” A familiar bubbly voice interrupted Chatot, as the round, pink shape of Wigglytuff hopped up the ladder.

Misa’s eyes sparkled, smiling just as brightly as the guildmaster and running to him at full speed. “WIGGLYTUFF!” She nearly tackled him to the ground, giving the biggest hug she could. He laughed boisterously, hugging her back and spinning around with delight at seeing an old friend for the first time in so long. “It’s so good to see you again! I missed you!”

“Haha! It’s great to see you too, friendly friend!” Wigglytuff pulled back slightly, still holding her, to meet her gaze. “Did I hear you’re joining our little guild?” When she nodded enthusiastically, he beamed from ear to ear. “Yay! That’s amazing! So, you’re joining my boys then?”

Light blushed as his ears and tail shot up while L huffed in amusement. Misa looked back at them and smiled, feeling more confident about her decision now that she was here. “Yes sir, it would be a huge honor!”

Wigglytuff set her down, clearing his throat. “Then let me get you registered to the guild. Registering… All registered!” This was it. She was finally a member of the guild! Misa could just see all the adventures they would be going on together. Exploring dungeons and helping Pokémon in need. Uncovering great treasures. Discovering unknown places from folklore! Wait, why is everyone covering their ea— “YOOM TAH!!!” She nearly fell on her back as a burst of soundwaves erupted through the air, rattling the guild walls. The noise slowly died down after what felt like forever, her ears ringing as she swayed on her feet.

Light came up behind and steadied her, carefully holding her shoulders and whispering, “I nearly got blown away too when joining, it’s all a part of the process.”

Misa twisted her head around, seeing his hair completely disheveled from Wigglytuff’s Hyper Voice and giggled, whispering back, “Looks like you almost did again.”

Light rolled his eyes but also was smiling.

Wigglytuff cleared his throat again. “Congratulations! You’re now officially an apprentice at the guild! And of course, you get your very own badge.” He pulled one out, exactly like Light and L’s and handed it to her.

Misa held it close, staring into the green orb like it held the answers to all the world’s problems. Her reflection stared back at her, with a mixture of excitement and nervousness. She took a deep breath, closing her eyes and nodding with determination. “Thank you Wigglytuff. I’m excited to work with everyone here!”

~~~~~~

Dinner was exceptionally lively tonight, as Light watched Misa soak in all the attention of their fellow apprentices and the rescued Pokémon who were now bandaged up thanks to Chimecho. He hummed and took a bite of an apple, shaking his head in amusement while resting an elbow on the table. Misa was telling a story of her explorations with Team Charm. Her movement was so animated as she acted out each little moment, earning oooo’s and ahhhhs’s from the others. Was this what L saw his first night at the guild? Probably.

“And when it seemed like all hope was lost and Golurk was going to take us down… WHAM! Lopunny knocks him down with a swift Hi Jump Kick to the chest! Of course, she was only able to do so after I used foresight!” Misa puffed out her chest. “After that, we found the treasure and celebrated for days! It was totally amazing!” She bowed as the whole table applauded. “Any questions?”

Light chuckled when the others began bombarding her with questions, though she was quick in answering each one while keeping her charming smile. As she did, a thought flowed through his head, the same one from earlier. This is the third time now that he’s felt as if he’s met someone, first L, then Misa, and now Raye. Was this all a coincidence? He knew he couldn’t keep this to himself any longer, planning to bring it up tonight when they retreated to their room.

To his left, L and Bidoof were talking quietly to each other. Light couldn’t tell what it was they were discussing from how loud everyone was being, but L was smiling while eating his sweets. He hummed softly at the two, returning his attention to Misa answering everyone’s questions.

As the excitement died down and everyone finished their dinner, they gave each other a good night and returned to their rooms. Light and L gathered some bedding for Misa from Chatot, carrying it to their room and setting it down. The beds had to be rotated a little to make sure she had enough room, but luckily between the three, the task didn’t take too long. Light muttered that he would be right back to the others when they were done and went back to Chatot, who jumped at seeing him return, and addressed him politely. “I’ve been meaning to ask, do you have any books on the written language and history of this world? I would be able to contribute more to the guild if I had access to that information.”

Chatot chirped curiously, a little taken aback by Light’s request while his beak subtly curved up. He cleared his throat. “Yes, but they’re quite valuable, so I expect you to take exceptional care of and return them when you are done,” He replied with a warning in his voice.

“I’ll treat them as if they’re my own,” Light promised.

Giving a chirp in approval, Chatot flew into Wigglytuff’s chambers, both of them exchanging pleasantries while shuffling through what Light could guess was more of their treasures.

A few minutes of standing around in the dim room passed before Chatot returned, hopping along the floor with two books tucked under his wings. Light lent him a hand by carefully taking them, examining the covers. Each of them had footprint inscriptions carved into the leather covers, one of them chestnut brown while the other was royal blue with symbols also carved into it. He recognized two that resembled grass and wind, realizing each one represented the continents of this world. Perfect.

He tilted his head back up at Chatot, brushing his hand along the cover of the blue book. “Thank you, I’ll be sure to get started right away.”

“Don’t stay up too late, and make sure L and Misa help you with understanding everything,” Chatot lectured firmly with his wing held out.

“Will do,” Light replied, before hurrying back to his teams’ room, holding the books tightly to his chest like they held forbidden knowledge. He hid a grimace realizing he was going to have to tell Misa about his past just to explain why he was reading this book in the first place. Why am I even getting concerned about it? I was planning on bringing it up anyways. Everyone else already knows, and she’s our teammate now, so surely it won’t hurt.

Misa was already lying on her bed, sighing at the soft texture of the wheatgrass and writing something down while L was crouching in his own. “That feels amazing,” She sighed, pushing herself up when she noticed Light returning, avoiding crumpling the paper on accident. “What were you talking to Chatot about?”

Light carefully set the books down on his bed, opening the brown one and seeing columns of different footprints, some bird talons, others paw prints, and more. It all looked like a bunch of gibberish in his eyes. “Just needed to borrow some books.”

“Whatcha reading?” She asked, taking a peek over curiously.

Light closed the book, setting the blue one on top of the brown one. “How to combine six blast seeds into one,” He said with a grin.

“No, you’re not!” Misa yelled, flinching when he and L shushed her. Wouldn’t want to wake up the others. She puffed her cheeks and whispered, “Be serious.”

“Just reading up on some history,” Light explained with a small chuckle as he leaned back.

“What kind of history?”

“General history, I believe.”

“Booooooring!” Misa said dramatically, making Light huff and shake his head. “Personally, I would read the history of exploration teams in the Grass Continent. They’re like way more fun to read.”

“I have my reasons for starting with this,” Light said with a shrug.

“If you say so,” Misa huffed before smiling and continuing writing her letter.

This time, Light was the one to peek over her shoulder. “What are you writing?”

“Just a letter to Lopunny, Gardevoir, and Medicham letting them know how things went and that I’ll be staying here,” She replied, ending the letter by signing her name, or at least that’s what he thought, before smiling fondly at the hall. “Your guildmates are all so wonderful by the way.”

“Yes, they do make nice company,” L replied nonchalantly.

“You fit right in with them,” Light added and sat down on his bed, one knee to the right while the other was propped up. “So, Misa, how did you and Team Charm meet?”

Misa’s expression fell, as she stared at the bed, like it brought back bad memories. She easily showed every emotion going through her mind with her ears drooped and brows downturned. But why? What happened to her? Was it too much to even say? Light was about to take it back when she spoke, “It was a year ago. Lopunny found me unconscious one day. I wasn’t hurt or anything, but I wasn’t happy either. There was this pain in my heart that wouldn’t go away, and…” She paused to recall it all. “The worst part was I couldn’t even remember why. I couldn’t remember almost anything about myself. Who I was. Where I came from. What my family was like. If I even had one. All of that was gone. The only thing I could remember was my name and all I felt was pain.”

Light sat there in silence, listening with wide eyes and mouth hanging open, and felt a stab of guilt in his chest.

 “It was thanks to them that I was able to get back on my feet. They helped me find myself and what I wanted to do with my life. If it weren’t for them… I don’t know where I would be now.” The sadness faded into a weary smile and her ears lifted. “That’s why I want to prove to them their training wasn’t in vain, because they gave me everything when I was scared and alone.”

Light blinked slowly, letting it all sink in. In the darkness of their bedroom, illuminated by the moonlight and stars peeking in through the windows, it became an easy place to open up and relate to her. A distant chirping sounded from outside, some sort of bug Pokémon maybe, eased the discomfort, as Light found himself whispering, “You too, huh?”

Misa squinted her eyes, not quite registering before her lower lip dropped. “Did you lose your memory too?”

“Yeah, the day L and I met, I was unconscious. The only things I could remember were my name and that I was once human. Nothing else.”

Misa leaned closer to him. “Really? This isn’t a joke, right?”

That would be a messed-up joke to tell someone who just confessed to having amnesia. Light shook his head. “It’s not a joke, just ask L or anyone else in the guild.”

“I can confirm this, at first it seemed ridiculous, or rather, too much of a coincidence” L said, resting his clawed hands on his knees while digging his feet into the bed. He paused, tilting his head to the ceiling in a silent debate with himself before speaking again. “I suppose it would be beneficial for you to know, Misa. Light has already been made aware, but I too have amnesia.”

“WHAT!? You too?” Misa jumped up, her bed rustling from the sudden movement. She jerked her head from the two in disbelief. “But… that can’t be right, could it!? It would have to be…”

“A huge coincidence,” L finished tapping his left claws against his knees while the right brushed against his lip. “Yes, that’s what I believed at first. Two amnesiacs meeting already is a conundrum but could easily be chalked up to just that. However, add a third one into the equation, and the chances of it being simply a coincidence are lower than one percent. What are your thoughts on this?”

Light sat up straighter, folding his arms. “I don’t think it’s a coincidence at this point,” He explained. “And it’s not just because all three of us met. When I met you, L, it felt as if I knew you from somewhere, but couldn’t place where exactly. I felt the same way meeting you, Misa. And even with Officer Raye, though… I didn’t expect to freeze up when I saw him. All of this is strange, but maybe I knew you guys before based on these feelings, or at the very least, there’s a connection somewhere. Officer Raye seemed to experience the same thing, but what about you two?”

“I felt the same way when I met you both! Maybe that’s also why I got so excited,” Misa declared. “Though, I don’t think I’ve met Officer Raye before today.”

“I too experienced this when I found you, Light,” L replied, though it seemed like there was more to be said from the way his dark gray eyes bore into Light. “And you as well, Misa. Officer Raye seemed somewhat familiar, but it wasn’t as strong as meeting the two of you.”

“Maybe it’s fate that the three of us met!”

“I don’t believe in fate.”

“Oh, come on!” Misa pouted, “Have a little imagination! What if we were old friends who got separated and found each other again? Wouldn’t that be amazing!?”

Light chuckled and shushed her again. “You’re going to wake the others.” She squeaked and quickly sat down while he shifted again, leaning forward. “Though it would be something if that were true.”

“Why don’t you two accompany me to the station tomorrow, and we can discuss the idea with Officer Raye,” L suggested. “He doesn’t have amnesia like the rest of us, but if he seems to know you, Light, then perhaps he could hold some of the answers we’re searching for.”

“That works for me,” Light replied before thinking back to the strange figure he saw in his aura earlier and the conversation L and Raye shared. “Who is this Pokémon you’re after by the way?”

“A very dangerous one.”

Light rolled his eyes. “Yes, you told us that already, but could we know a little more?”

“That can wait until morning. It’s already getting late, and we should be getting to sleep before Chatot scolds us.”

“You mean Misa and I should get to sleep while you stay awake all night?” It was meant to be a playful jab but hidden beneath it was a subtle concern for the Sneasel’s health.

L’s expression remained neutral though he exhaled a breath through his nostrils. “I’ve been managing just fine.”

“Whatever you say,” Light replied and curled up in his bed, feeling a paw prod his back. He hummed and flipped over, seeing Misa watching him admirably. “What is it?”

She was lying on her side, head resting on her arms while giving a warm smile. She scooted a little closer and whispered, “I just wanted to say you were totally amazing today, especially against Rhydon.”

“Thank you,” Then jokingly, he added with a smirk. “I suppose you did pretty alright too.” He laughed quietly when her jaw dropped, and she playfully pushed him. “Okay, okay, you were more than pretty alright.”

Misa rolled her eyes and curled up, though she was still smiling. “Goodnight, Light.”

“Goodnight, Misa,” Light hummed and slowly closed his eyes, as sleep washed over him much easier than it had the past few nights. Likely a mix of exhaustion finally sinking in from how long they were exploring along with the comfort of knowing that he could be traveling with someone he once knew. The only concerning thing was that neither of them mentioned being human once, but that could be discussed tomorrow. He breathed out a relaxed sigh, the realm of dreams welcoming him with open arms.

~~~~~~

Dear Lopunny, Gardevoir, and Medicham,

I hope you all have been doing well since I’ve left. Exploring on my own has been a bit lonely, but you wouldn’t believe what happened! I’ve found teammates! Like actual teammates! Isn’t that amazing!? It’s everything I’ve ever dreamed of! Do you remember Wigglytuff’s protégé, L? I’m a member of his team now, and we have another member too. He’s a Riolu named Light and is new to being part of an exploration team, though you definitely couldn’t tell by meeting him. He looked so confident when we first met, though he was kind of a prick at first too. We ended up arguing a lot while going through Midnight Forest but settled our differences after we ran into a Monster House.

He’s actually really nice after talking to him, though he’s also got a big ego! L is quieter compared to Light, but he also seems like a nice guy too. I wanna get to know more about him, but he doesn’t seem like he wants to share more about himself yet. They’ve both made me feel very welcome at the guild, everyone is so sweet, and I think I’m going to really love it! OH! Wigglytuff also says hi and that he misses you! He’s been doing very good from what I’ve seen. You should come by and visit him when you get the chance, he’d really appreciate it.

I’m going to miss traveling with you all the time, it already doesn’t feel the same, but I think I’m going to be okay. I can’t explain how, but it already feels like I belong here. I hope to see you again soon so I can tell you in person about all our adventures. Thank you for everything. I love you so much!

-with lots of love!

Misa

Chapter Text

“Psst… Light.”

Mumbling in his sleep, Light reached out to push away L. He could feel the Sneasel brush his arm to the side and poke his cheek. With a low groan, his brown eyes fluttered open, and he pushed himself up. “Morning…” Loudred was in the room with them, a wide grin on his face. What’s his deal? The sound of soft breathing from behind grabbed his attention, seeing that Misa was still dozing peacefully. “We should probably wake her up.”

“That’s what Loudred is here for.” When Light squinted at L, he shrugged and added, “She has to be woken up by him at least once.” There was a slight mischievous grin on L’s face as he plugged his ears. Light rolled his eyes and covered his own, though he couldn’t resist the corner of his mouth tugging into a grin as well. The two gave a nod to Loudred, and he breathed in heavily before his voice boomed:

“UP AND AT EM!!! IT’S MOOOOOOORNIIIIIIIIIING!!!”

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!” Wheatgrass flew everywhere as Misa sprang up from her bed, nearly bumping her head against the ceiling. She fell on her tail with a loud oof before glaring at Loudred and stomping to him. Puffing her cheeks, she yelled out, “UM, EXCUSE ME! YOU NEARLY GAVE ME A HEART ATTACK! CAN YOU LIKE PLEASE TURN DOWN THE VOLUME ON YOUR EARS!?!?” Ironic, considering that Misa’s voice was currently reaching close to the same volume as her fellow normal type.

Loudred grabbed his speaker ears self-consciously, taking a few steps back and letting go to hold his hands out defensively. “S-SORRY! IT WAS L’S IDEA!” He zoomed out of their room in fear for his life.

Light threw his head back in laughter, nearly falling over while L kept his composure, though he couldn’t hide his amusement.

“Welcome to the guild,” L chuckled. “I’ll be sure to wake you up before he comes in here next time.”

Whipping her head around, Misa glared at the two. “You JERKS! What is wrong with you!?” She shouted, lightly punching L in the arm, though he shrugged it off with another chuckle, before stomping to Light, who was still doubling over in laughter. He tried to push her away, his palm on her cheek which kept her flailing short arms out of reach. She ducked under his arm and lightly jabbed him in the side, forcing out a surprised breath in between laughs.

Light collected himself and chuckled. “Good morning to you too.”

“Oh, shut up!” Misa exclaimed, shaking her head and smiling. “If he wakes me up again, I’m kicking you both!”

“Like I said, it was only one time,” L replied with a shrug, and Light covered his mouth to hide another bout of laughter.

“Good, I’m waaaaatching you, Snease-L.” Misa held her right paw to her squinted eyes before whipping it around to point at him.

 “Very funny,” He replied nonchalantly, which she stuck her tongue out and laughed in response.

The trio pulled themselves together before beginning to get ready for the day. As they did, Light could hear the other apprentices shuffling from their own rooms, greeting each other. He soon followed, pulling the treasure bag over his shoulders and noting the weight of it. Probably would be a good time to see what we don’t need soon. Misa grabbed the letter for Team Charm, and she and L followed Light into the main room, where everyone exchanged good mornings, asking if they had a restful sleep and were ready for the day. He noticed the grass types they rescued had already left the guild, likely going to the station. Chatot cleared his throat with Wigglytuff coming into the room, and everyone recited the cheer. Misa stumbled behind a little with it being her first time but despite this, her voice was loud and proud.

“AND THREE! SMILES GO FOR MILES!”

“Okay Pokémon! Time to get to work!”

“HURRAY!”

The other apprentices split up, most of them climbing to the second floor while Loudred and Diglett headed over to the hole leading down to the sentry duty post. Misa hopped over to Chatot, holding up the letter to him.

“Can you make sure this gets delivered to Twistcreek Town for Team Charm?” She requested.

Chatot took it with an enthusiastic smile. “Of course, it would be an honor to, Ms. Misa,” He chirped, placing it in his beak and flying up to the next floors.

Suck up, Light thought and rolled his eyes, turning his attention to Loudred and Diglett, who had not yet started their post.

 The two were deep in a conversation which led to Loudred jumping, his jaw dropping while beads of sweat dripped down the side of his face. It made Light curious of what they were discussing, pricking his ears up to try and listen in… only to meet the normal type’s eyes as he pointed at him. “HEY! YOU THREE! COME OVER HERE!”

We’re in trouble was the first thing that went through Light’s head. It was very tempting to just ignore him and walk up the ladder, but he knew they wouldn’t hear the end of it later. Great. Beside him, L exhaled sharply while Misa looked about ready to scream back again. The three slowly and begrudgingly approached Loudred and Diglett.

“Can we help you?” L asked with a brow raised.

Diglett was the first to speak up. “We’re sorry to bother you! I’m kinda in a hurry! Dad has some important errands to run today and needs me to switch out the old jobs on the notice boards, so I need someone to take over my sentry post. I gotta go now! Do a good job!” Without waiting for a reply, he burrowed away, leaving the team in stunned silence with Loudred.

Sentry duty? You mean we have to check Pokémon’s footprints and identify them? Light cleared his throat. “Uh, Loudred, respectfully, we’re not the best options for this, I don’t exactly know too many Pokémon, let alone their footprints.”

“AH! No worries! You got L and Misa to help ya!” Loudred laughed, not taking the hint at all.

“I don’t even know footprints!” Misa interjected, holding her arms out.

L bit at his claw, a little harder than usual as his eye subtly twitched. “What they’re trying to say is we already have plans for the day. Isn’t there anyone else who could take over?”

“NOPE! The others are terrible at it! It has to be you three!”

Leaning closer, L narrowed his eyes. “Interesting, I wonder what would happen if I told them you said that?” He asked, his voice having a sharp edge.

Loudred flinched, waving his arms frantically. “NO NO NO! DON’T TELL THEM!” He begged. “I know you’re probably still mad at me, but I’ll be in deep shit if no one takes the post!”

L sighed and shook his head. “We have business with the police, Loudred. It could be a potential lead to Decidueye.”

Loudred went silent, his eyes widening as he took in L’s words. A spark of anger crossed his face, not from his usual fiery temper, but something that hung heavy over the two.

Decidueye? Just who was that? Is this who L was going to interrogate Rhydon about? But how could he make a connection to this Decidueye through the criminal they just apprehended? Light closed his eyes, thinking back to yesterday. We went to Midnight Forest… met Misa… traveled through the forest… then I discovered… Light gasped quietly. My aura! That Pokémon I saw. L mentioned we should avoid it; could that have been who he’s searching for?

Loudred closed his eyes and clenched his fists, before letting it fall and sighed. “L… I know how important catching him is to you, believe me, I WANT him ARRESTED.” His voice was surprisingly soft and empathetic. “But no one else has come close to matching Diglett’s accuracy as you have. I promise I’ll get you three in and out of here as quickly as possible if you help me out. After that, whatever you need help with, I’ll be happy to do it.”

L paused, staring into Loudred’s eyes and searching for the truth before finally conceding. “Very well, let’s make this quick then.”

Words could not describe the sigh of relief Loudred breathed out as his shoulder’s slumped. “THANKS L! You really saved me from a scolding from Chatot!” He was about to reach for a hug when L stepped back, and he stopped himself.

“We certainly don’t want that,” L replied bluntly, gesturing with his head for the others to follow into the hole.

A thick, leafy vine trailed down the hole, similar to the ladders leading up to the next floor, though they didn’t seem as stable. Light brushed his hand against it, feeling the green leaves shift at the smallest movement. The further he peered down, the darker it became, and he couldn’t see exactly how far the bottom was. Misa shared the same concerns, murmuring to herself while taking a cautious step onto one of the leaves before pulling back.

L decided to be the first to climb down, carefully hopping agilely from each leaf until he vanished into the darkness. Light and Misa exchanged glances before going down the vine one at a time, slowly and carefully. Light’s legs trembled when the leaves shifted, and he held his breath until his feet met with solid ground. Their only source of light came from above, as the narrow rocky tunnel led further to their right.

Closing his eyes, Light felt his aura weave through his body, the silhouette of L in front, who was now walking down the corridor with ease. He took Misa’s paw and guided her through. It wasn’t too long of a walk; maybe a minute or two at most before they hit a dead end. A dim silhouette of vines and branches came into view from the right wall, and L climbed up them.

Light pointed them out, pulling her paw up to feel them. Once she had a good grip, he released her paw and grabbed on, letting her take the lead this time in case she fell. The vines were surprisingly more stable than the previous ones and finding his footing where they wrapped around each other was easy. Once they reached the top, the three walked down another tunnel, L and Misa noticing a light pouring from above. At the end, Light slowly opened his eyes, the aura fading with it and looked up, blinking sunlight away. Above was the grate covering the hole that he passed by every day, and now they were on the other side of it.

“HEY! Did you make it!? Loudred called through the tunnels, his voice distant and echoey.

Light and L glanced at Misa, who took a deep breath and called back. “Yeah! We’re all here!”

“GREAT! Then we should be getting visitors soon! Once you see someone, just yell out who they are, and I’ll decide to let them in.”

“‘Kay!”

Well, even with his extremely limited memory, Light hoped that he would be able to contribute in some way. He leaned against the bumpy stone walls, watching the grate like a hawk in silence. How did Diglett manage this every day? He could already tell his neck was going to be sore by the time they were done. An idea popped in his head, and he closed his eyes to let his aura weave up the tunnel to the top of the grate, seeing a few visitors already approaching.

“We’ve got someone,” L whispered as the first one stepped over, the footprint a small talon.

Misa nodded and called out to Loudred. “HEY! Someone’s here!”

“WHOSE FOOTPRINT!?”

L examined the footprint carefully. “Hmm, definitely a flying type, one of the smaller ones, probably a base stage bird if I had to guess… two toes in the front and one in the back.”

“But there are so many small birds, it could be anything,” Misa complained, squinting her eyes as the distance between them and the grate didn’t help.

Light hummed, examining the silhouette of the Pokémon carefully. It wasn’t one he’d seen yet, and he couldn’t tell what color it was, but from what he could see… “You’re right about it being a small bird, L. Its feathers are really spiky around its head but smooth out around its body. It’s got a hooked beak, three tail feathers that are pointed just slightly at the end, and small wings.”

Misa’s mouth gaped. “OH! I know who they are! LOUDRED! THE FOOTPRINT IS SPEAROW’S!”

“GOT IT! Come on in!” The Pokémon stepped off the grate, entering the guild to meet up with Loudred. After some time passed, the normal type returned and called back. “You’re right! KEEP IT UP!”

Okay, that’s Spearow then. Light committed the silhouette and name to memory, realizing that this was a great opportunity to learn more about the different Pokémon in the world. Even if this was a minor setback, it wasn’t as bad as he thought. Pride swelled in his chest from being able to help figure it out.

The day continued passing by, with Light relaying what he sees while L and Misa listened attentively and analyzed the footprint. Using L’s knowledge and Misa’s traveling experience, the trio successfully identified each Pokémon with little to no issues.

A cactus looking one with a long body, no legs, round head, spikes on their forehead and around their ears, which also had flowers at the ends of them. Maractus. An oval shaped one with leaves on its head, one curling down like a stem in front of their forehead, and some sort of fruit on their head. Maybe an olive. Smoliv. Well, that’s a bit literal. Wait, is that another Sneasel? The claws on their feet seemed flatter at the edge but still pointed at the bottom. And were its claws longer than L’s? The most obvious thing was that it didn’t have the full head of spiky hair that L had. Is that not normal for Sneasel? Huh. The three Pokémon seemed to be traveling together. A small fox with six tails that seemed almost cloud like, also having the same poofy fur on their head. Vulpix. A mouse with long pointed ears and a lightning bolt tail. Pikachu. A large feline-looking one with spiky fur around their chest, the fur along their head forming a crescent, a scythe horn at the side of its head, and a scythe-like tail. Absol. Those three also seemed to be traveling together.

Light also recognized a few teams from the day he joined the guild, such as the mongoose, mantis, and shrew, who were respectively known as Zangoose, Scyther, and Sandslash, their team’s name being Team Razor Wind. Part of him wanted to be petty and tell Loudred not to let them in for the look they gave L that day, but he chose to remain professional.

For a while, many Pokémon kept passing to and from the guild, making the entire job fast paced as to keep things smooth. Luckily, the trio found a good rhythm of figuring out who each visitor was, and from the boisterousness in Loudred’s voice, Light could tell he was very impressed. A couple hours passed and the waves of visitors pouring in slowly died down, giving them a chance to catch their breaths.

Light opened his eyes slowly and sighed, sliding down the wall to sit with his knees propped up. The entire time, L had been sitting in his usual crouching position while staring up at the grate.

“Man… I’m exhausted…” Misa huffed, sitting down and resting against the wall.

“Well, luckily for us, this is around the time when most teams are out on their jobs,” L replied, reaching for the treasure bag to snag a few gummis and eat them. “We should be able to relax for a little while.”

“Good, hey L, can I ask you something?”

“What is it?”

Misa looked him up and down. “…Why do you sit like that? It looks… uncomfortable?”

“I have to sit like this, not because I want to,” L explained like it was common sense. “You see if I don’t, my deductive reasoning will decrease by forty percent.”

Huh. Why does Light feel like he’s heard this explanation before?

“What does the way you sit have to do with your deductive reasoning?” Misa pressed on, more confused than she was before asking.

“Perhaps you should try it.”

Misa looked down at her feet. “With what legs!?”

L paused, tilting his head to the side in perplexion. “Oh. Yes, I suppose that would be a problem. What a shame.”

“Heyyyyyy!” Misa stuck her tongue out and laughed.

Light shook his head and chuckled. He still didn’t quite get how that would help with thinking, but frankly, he wasn’t interested in figuring out. Especially considering that eating rocks from falling on his face was a possibility. Still, there was something else that he did want to know. “So, who exactly is this Decidueye?”

L’s gray eyes darkened just from the mention of the name, his claws trembling as they gripped his knees tightly. Not with fear, as his brows furrowed and he gritted his teeth, revealing something deeper. “Decidueye is an S rank criminal that we have been after for months, but no one has been able to catch him. He was once a great explorer under the Exploration Federation who went by the name Amaryllis, though they refuse to call him by name now.”

Light’s ears pricked up in interest. “If he was a great explorer, then what made him change? What did he do?”

“Remember when I said that it’s rare for a case of murder to happen?” When Light nodded, he continued gravely. “He’s one of those rare cases, guilty of taking innocent lives and always getting away without a trace. Only two have survived an encounter with him, which was enough to at least confirm his identity. As for what made him change, no one knows for sure, but it could be that time being thrown off balance caused him to lose his mind and begin killing.”

“Is the federation chasing after him?”

“I’m afraid they’re not.”

Light gasped, glancing at Misa who didn’t seem shocked at all, though she was tapping her feet nervously. Considering who she traveled with for a while, it didn’t surprise him that she was already in the loop. “But wouldn’t a murderer be at the top of the list of criminals who needs to be caught!?”

“Yes, and for a while, they were,” L replied, chewing on his claw. “The investigation was led by a hyper ranked team called Team Astral Keeper. However, Decidueye took their challenge head on and killed them in their own home. The federation pulled out soon after, and I was told it was because they couldn’t afford a catastrophic loss like that again. His identity was later discovered by one of the survivors who managed to escape his wrath.”

“Wouldn’t it be more catastrophic letting him be!?” Light growled, balling his hands into fists.

“Correct, but most exploration teams are too afraid to challenge him,” L explained. “If he managed to kill such a high-ranking team and get away, imagine how much easier it would be should a lower ranking team encounter him.”

“It does make sense… Lopunny and the others knew Decidueye before he started killing and warned me to avoid him at all costs,” Misa spoke up quietly, before lifting her head with brows furrowed. “But still, there are other high-ranking teams who could stand a chance against him.”

“Some of them are also teams with families to look after, if they were to die, what would happen then?” L asked and was met with a long silence. “I don’t fault those who weren’t involved in the first place, but I do find it cowardly of the federation itself for pulling out when they swore to risk their lives to catch this murderer.”

“They did lose their head investigators, but surely there would have been someone else who was part of the investigation that could carry on for them,” Misa replied, folding her arms. “If Lopunny and the others were killed, I would do anything to avenge them.”

Light nodded in agreement, shivering at the idea of Decidueye finding his way into Treasure Town and killing all the Pokémon who welcomed him in. It made his stomach twist in knots as he could feel the burning in his head rising. How could they let this scum continue to get away with this? He took a deep breath and asked, “What happened to the survivors? And who is currently investigating him?”

“As far as I know, they’re safe and should be under protection of the federation,” L replied and looked up at the grate. “As for who is investigating, currently it’s only me, Wigglytuff, and our police, though the federation has put restrictions on how much Wigglytuff can investigate due to how important he is to the guild, but he’s attempted to push past the line they’ve drawn.”

There’s no way that could be enough if Decidueye is as strong as L said. “And how exactly does Decidueye work? What kind of Pokémon is he? And when was the last time he struck?”

“What we know of him is that he moves in the darkness, enhanced by his partial ghost typing, which is why pinning down his location has been a challenge. When he kills, he aims to debilitate his victims first before finishing them off. He’s been described as a tall owl Pokémon with a hood and cloak, having the ability to strike from a distance with ghostly arrows and blades of leaves. As far as we know, the last time he killed someone was a month ago, if he did it more often, we would be able to pick up his trail easier, and he seems to be aware of it.”

The twisted feeling in Light’s core tightened just from L’s description. A tall owl Pokémon that was a ghost type… He shot up. “Then that was Decidueye I saw! Why didn’t you say more about him!? We could have chased him!”

“No!” L raised his voice immediately, an intimidating firmness masking the desperation behind it. Light jumped, his shoulders tensing up in surprise. “He would have killed us. Going after him without a plan of attack and no knowledge of Midnight Forest is reckless and beyond stupid. There’s also a chance he was already aware of our presence which would give him an upper hand.”

It took a second for Light to shake off the surprise and stepped closer to L, thrusting his arms out to the side. “But what if we could have beaten him!? It could have been worth taking that risk!”

“Light, think rationally for a moment,” L warned, standing up to meet his challenging expression. “I do wish to catch him, that is why I’ve been investigating him for months but throwing our lives away on a slim to none chance of succeeding is not one I’m willing to take. At the very least, we have a lead of where he is, though it’s likely he’s moved on to another place.”

Misa stepped between them, putting her hands on each of their shoulders. “And even if we did succeed, what about the Pokémon we saved yesterday? They would’ve been in worse trouble if we hadn’t gone after Rhydon instead.”

Light stared at the ground, closing his eyes. “Right, I agree with you on that part, but what if we’d lost our only chance to catch him?”

“There’s still a possibility of gaining some information about where he’s moving onto next,” L explained. “I believe that Rhydon and Decidueye may have come in contact with each other. Therefore, once we arrive at the station, I will be conducting an interrogation with him.”

“But what if he doesn’t talk?” Misa asked.

“Just leave everything to me; he will. You’re welcome to help with this investigation, but I must warn you, finding him could mean losing your lives if you’re not careful. I want you to seriously consider this before deciding.”

Light folded his arms, already sure of his resolve, feeling his own actions once again haunting him. Knowing that someone out there was killing innocents so ruthlessly made his blood boil. Dealing with a ghost type would be difficult for him and Misa, with their limited moves, but didn’t she mention knowing Foresight last night? Perhaps that could give them the upper hand they needed. One thing was certain; this couldn’t go unpunished. “I don’t need to consider it. I’m going to help you catch Decidueye, L.”

For a while, Misa didn’t say anything, staring at the ground in forlorn and hugging herself. Surely this wasn’t what she had in mind when choosing to join them. Would she want to leave because of this? But then Light saw a change; a small spark in her eyes as she straightened up. “I’ve met other teams who’ve stopped exploring because they’re scared of being killed by him,” She said and met L’s gaze with determination. “I want to help you too, so they don’t have to be afraid anymore.”

L breathed out quietly, his eyelids lifting as if he were stunned that they both agreed so easily. Deep in the darkness of his irises, a flicker of light revealed itself, softening his gaze as he smiled gratefully at them. “Thank you.”

Misa smiled back warmly. “Of course.”

Light nodded slowly, leaning against the wall with an ambitious grin. Now they all had a goal to work towards, one that excited him to his core. Imagine stopping a criminal at this level. Everyone in Treasure Town and further beyond the continent would know their name. Perhaps it would also teach other criminals what happens when you commit heinous acts like this. The thought ignited the spark in Light’s heart, sending a burning inferno through his entire body.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of burrowing which was rapidly approaching. He and Misa nearly jumped out of their skin as Diglett popped up from underground with sparkles in his eyes. “Sorry for the wait! I just finished Dad’s duties. How did everything go?”

“Welcome back, I believe things went well on our end,” L replied.

“Great! Thank you so much for helping! You’re the best.”

L chuckled warmly. “You’re welcome, we must be going now Diglett.” He gave the young kid a pat on the head, listening to him giggle innocently, before hurrying through the tunnel, Light and Misa following close behind. As he emerged from the hole, Loudred stopped him.

“L.”

He paused, facing Loudred, a knowing silence between the two.

“Let me know what you find out.”

L nodded sincerely. “I will.” The trio hurried through the guild, the midday sun beaming against them when they made it outside. Reaching the crossroads, they turned east towards the same round building they saw the night before. The walls were made of smooth stone, carefully and expertly stacked on each other and cemented together to form the shape of a Mabosstiff. Large wooden pillars held up the foundation of the building, some of them carved in the front to resemble the dog Pokémon’s moustache which stretched up to form the wooden roof. Along the outside of the building were bushes of oran and pecha berries, though Light couldn’t tell if anyone was allowed to snag a few. Probably not.

On the side of the road, just before the station, the Shroomish from last night was standing in front of a bipedal Pokémon with a muted green mushroom cap on his head, had a long, beige tail with seeds clustered around the end, and wore a sky-blue scarf around his neck. She blinked as the team approached and nudged the bigger Pokémon. “That’s them! They’re the ones who saved me!”

The Pokémon blinked curiously and smiled. “Sorry to bother you,” He spoke up, stopping the team in their tracks. “My name is Breloom of Team Frontiers. I wanted to thank you for saving my little sister. We’ve been searching everywhere for her, so having her back safely is a huge relief.” He offered his hand in gratitude.

Misa stepped up and shook his hand, smiling back at him brightly. “You’re welcome! We made sure Rhydon wouldn’t try anything like that ever again,” She replied with a confident grin, and Light couldn’t help sharing the same sentiment.

“Well, I’m in debt to you,” Breloom replied with a chuckle. “If you ever need anything, please, don’t hesitate to reach out.” He then turned to Shroomish. “Ready to go home?”

“I’ve been ready for so long,” She replied, leaning against his leg with her eyes closed. She nodded to the team gratefully. “Thank you again!” The two headed east of the station, leaving the team feeling great about the rescue before they continued walking over to the station.

A few Magnemite were circling around the building like they were on patrol. The trio passed by them and opened the door, which had a painting of two magnets attached to each other from the bottom and tilted diagonally. Inside, there were multiple tables set up, with paperwork scattered along them, some neatly, others not so much. A couple of bulletin boards were hanging from the wall with wanted posters pinned to them. A few more Magnemite and Officer Magnezone were surrounding Raye, who was hunched over with a paw covering a nasty scratch on his head, thankfully not bleeding.

A black furred midday Lycanroc appeared from a room to the right with a damp rag in her jaw. She sat in front of him, waiting for him to lower his head more, before she dropped it in her paws, revealing there was some kind of pale green salve on it, and pressed it against the scratch. Raye whined in pain and recoiled, making her sigh and shake her head. “It’s not going to get any better if you’re going to be difficult,” She scolded quietly.

Raye pouted and tilted his head up to avoid the rag. “It’s not even that bad to begin with,” He replied in defiance, though he quickly shut his mouth and lowered his head again when she glared at him, wincing as she continued dabbing it. “Between wild Pokemon going crazy and all these criminals, it would be nice if we could get a break. Wouldn’t it be great if they all just stopped?”

The Lycanroc chuckled and set the rag to the side once she was done. “I don’t disagree, but then we wouldn’t have a job.”

“Is that really such a bad thing? Then it would mean the world was at peace,” Raye suggested, hopefully.

 Shaking her head, she smirked. “Of course it wouldn’t, but you and I both know you would get restless over time.”

Raye huffed and playfully nudged her. “Are you sure you aren’t talking about yourself?” The two quietly laughed and touched noses, before the Lycanroc’s eyes shifted and her muscles reflexively stiffened. She swiftly crouched into an attack position, claws digging into the ground as she bared her teeth with a low, defensive growl. Her sharp narrowed pupils bore into the one she saw, daring him to try something.

Light flinched and took a step back, the same familiar feeling rushing through him as he frantically questioned what he did to evoke such a reaction. His heart pounded in his chest as he braced himself for an attack. However, L and Misa stood protectively in front of him, not saying a word as they stared back at her, which was more of a glare for Misa.

The Lycanroc growls wavered as she blinked in confusion before lifting her head, her tail and ears drooping from embarrassment. “I’m sorry. I’m not sure what came over me,” She glanced at Raye with distress before collecting herself and sat on her hindlegs, saying in a more professional tone, “You two must be L’s new teammates. Raye told me about you last night. My name is Officer Naomi; it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Light relaxed his muscles, though the beating of his heart pounded against him as he forced a smile. “Y-Yeah, nice to meet you too,” He winced at how terrified he sound. Come on, pull it together. “My name is Light, and this is Misa.” He gestured to the Buneary, who was still on guard from the threat.

“What’s all this commotion out here?” A low, stern, older male voice rumbled from the same room Naomi came from. One that somehow managed to slow the racing of Light’s heart as he breathed out. A large, gray Mabosstiff emerged from the room, with beady, imposing brown eyes that harbored a surprising kindness underneath them and covered by a pair of rectangular glasses. Lighter and darker gray fur was bunched up neatly on his head, stretching down along his back and ending with his long, bushy tail. A darker gray moustache covered his mouth, while bushy light gray eyebrows were furrowed before lifting in surprise.

Everything around Light faded in an instant as he and this Mabosstiff stared at each other in awe. Something more comforting cut through the initial fear, like he’d known this Pokémon his entire life despite only just meeting. Like he could entrust this Pokémon with the weight of his problems. Like he could face the world head on, without fear, giving all his trust. The Mabosstiff took a step forward, squinting before shaking his head and giving him a warm, welcoming smile. Light’s vision went misty.

“Light?” Misa asked, her voice cutting through the air, bringing him back to reality.

Something wet was rolling down his cheeks and he reached up to wipe it away. Looking at his hands, he could see they were tears. What’s wrong with me? Why am I crying? He rubbed his eyes and sniffled, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment. “S-Sorry, I’m fine.” He cleared his throat.

The Mabosstiff thoughtfully hummed and stepped closer, sniffing the air. “I don’t believe we’ve met before. You may call me Chief Soichiro.”

Soichiro… The name sounded so reassuring in Light’s head, unlike all the other familiar names he’s heard. Wait, chief!? He straightened up, clenching his fists. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t realize you were the chief here. Please excuse my ru—”

Soichiro laughed warmly, cutting off Light’s frantic babbling. “Just relax,” He reassured. “You’re new around here, aren’t you?”

“Yes sir,” Light stammered.

Soichiro glanced at L. “You’re the one who helped L capture Drowzee, and Rhydon too, yes? Though I know Ms. Misa also had a hand in helping with Rhydon as well.” When Misa’s eyes sparkled at him, he chuckled warmly and added, “I’m acquainted with Lopunny, she’s told me a great deal about you. And as for you.” He redirected his attention back to Light. “Your name is Light, correct? Wigglytuff has already told me a lot about you too. I’m impressed by how quickly you’ve adapted to guild life. Not many apprentices catch a criminal like Drowzee as one of their first jobs.”

Light held his chin up high, beaming at the chief’s praise. “Thank you, sir.”

“Of course,” Soichiro replied and sat on his hindlegs while Naomi and Raye came up behind curiously. Magnezone floated down a staircase to let them talk. “L, Raye has already informed me of your request, we can arrange for you to speak with Rhydon if you wish to right away.”

“Yes, that would be nice, but there’s something we’d like to discuss with you first,” L replied, crouching down and getting comfortable.

“And what’s that?”

L explained how Light and Misa had both lost their memories to Soichiro. How he found Light on the beach, unconscious with only the memories of his name and being a human. How the three of them share a feeling that they met each other before with nothing else to go off, while also mentioning Light’s interaction with Raye the day prior. As he did, Soichiro acknowledged that he was following the Sneasel’s story, though it was a lot to take in. Naomi and Raye squinted their eyes, processing everything he said. “What I’m wondering is if there’s a chance any of you had met him or Misa before. Considering your reactions to Light especially, you’ve likely already answered my question.”

Soichiro pondered the thought, taking in Light’s features to find a connection. “It feels as if I’ve met you before, and L and Misa too for that matter, but… it’s only a feeling,” He explained, apologetically, “I’ve been a Pokémon my entire life, with no lost memories as far as I’m aware, and I’ve never met a Riolu or Buneary like you two before, nor a Sneasel like you before our initial meeting, L.”

“The same is true for me,” Raye added, feeling confused as his ears lowered. “The only one I had the feeling for is Light, but I’ve never met him until now. I’m not even sure why I tensed up the way I did when we met. Maybe you reminded me of someone else… no, it must have been stress. You don’t seem like a bad Pokémon.”

“For me it’s only Light and L, and like Raye, I’m not sure why seeing Light made me react the way I did,” Naomi replied, giving another apologetic nod to Light before raising an eyebrow. “But isn’t it strange that we’re all having these feelings? And considering that you three have amnesia, there has to be some kind of connection. Something like this just isn’t normal. I think it would be worth further investigating this situation.”

L hummed approvingly. “My thoughts exactly, Naomi.”

“L, you first appeared a year ago, and Misa, when exactly did Lopunny find you?”

“A year ago, too,” Misa replied.

Naomi began pacing the ground, deep in thought. “Then we should start considering investigating events that happened around that time and see if we can find others who have lost their memories. But there’s still the issue of Light, even though he has amnesia like the rest of you, he only recently appeared, and with the memory of being human. There’s a disconnect between the events in that regard, as you two don’t have any memories of being human, correct?”

“No, just my name.”

L nodded in agreement and bit his claw in thought. “That’s what’s stumping me too, how can we have the feeling of knowing Light when he appeared only a year after we did, with these memories that we lack? Still, it’s something that can’t be ignored, especially considering this has already happened more than once.”

“And the only other human who exists in this world is the one Wigglytuff knows from the Air Continent who he’s trying to get in touch with, but who knows how long it’ll take before we get to meet with her,” Light added while folding his arms. “We could assume that maybe L and Misa simply came from a different continent, and we’ve just not been able to find anyone who genuinely knew them, but the same can’t be said about me. I also noticed something while we were doing sentry duty.”

“What’s that?”

Light pointed at L. “The other Sneasel who passed by, they looked completely different from you,” He gestured to himself and Misa. “Is it safe to assume that the same can be said about Riolu and Buneary.”

“Well yes, that is true,” Soichiro replied. “But sometimes Pokemon do have features that differentiate themselves from each other, such as Raye and Naomi’s fur colors both being different from the usual Arcanine and Lycanroc. Even I have some minor differences between normal Mabosstiff. Some even have completely different variants and types. Sneasel happens to be one of those Pokémon, but even so, L still looks different from the ice type variant, and,” He paused to think for a moment. “I’ve met Mrs. Poppy, the other human, with Wigglytuff once a long time ago, and from what I remember, she resembled you three quite a bit.”

“Wait, really?” Light blinked in surprise, piecing a theory together in his mind. “Then this may be a bit of a stretch, but considering how different we are, and me having memories of being human, what if you two were also once human and simply don’t remember it?”

“Do you really think so?” Misa asked.

“Well, I can’t say for certain, but we shouldn’t completely rule it out, especially considering this hu— I mean Mrs. Poppy also lost her memory.”

L nodded slowly, pondering the idea. “I agree, that’s an excellent point Light, and it would be foolish to ignore it. For now, I believe investigating events that happened a year ago would be a logical place to start, and perhaps it’ll reveal the answers we’re looking for.”

“The only problem is finding the time to investigate it,” Raye huffed, lowering his muzzle. “More and more criminals keep popping up and even with the exploration teams helping out, it’s getting out of hand quickly. Not to mention our hunt for Decidueye.”

“That is true,” Soichiro sighed. “But, when we do have the time, we’ll do everything we can to gain intel. We can connect with police forces from the other continents on anomalies that could have happened there to see if there’s a connection. As for Light being human, our best bet would be waiting on Mrs. Poppy to arrive here.”

Poppy… Light began wondering more about what she was like and what her story was. And despite the tension being dispelled, the way Naomi and Raye both initially reacted still bothered him, building up his worries about who he once was. How could he so easily let those fears go after that happened? Sure, it wasn’t set in stone that they knew each other once, but if they did, what did he do to them? He pushed the worries back into the furthest reaches of his mind, but a sliver sneakily crept out like a monster hidden in the shadows.

Choosing to ignore it, he said gratefully. “That would be great, chief. Thank you for hearing us out.”

Soichiro smiled warmly at him. “Of course, thank you for the assistance you’ve already provided, it takes a lot of weight off our shoulders when teams like you help us.”

“And I’ll continue helping out the best I can!” Light replied with a prideful grin. He could feel a warmth emanating from the Mabosstiff and maybe even a hint of pride in the Riolu. Was it because of this feeling they shared, even if they didn’t truly know each other? He couldn’t be sure, but it made Light feel like he could conquer any obstacle in the world. As they continued to chat, he found himself admiring the chief more and more.

He noticed Naomi walk over to L and whisper something in his ear, who stood up in response and followed her and Raye down the stairs where Magnezone went. Was he going to interrogate Rhydon now? Part of him wanted to follow but returned to his conversation with Soichiro, enamored as he told him of his latest arrest.

~~~~~~

A stream of stone jail cells stretched in a long line, lit by the dim flames of the torches. The sounds of inmates complaining and mumbling filled L’s ears, though he easily blocked them out. Magnezone floated past him and the two officers accompanying him, greeting him before disappearing upstairs. As they passed each cell, he could feel glares burning through him, those of criminals he apprehended in the past. He didn’t bother acknowledging them, it wasn’t worth his time. There was only one he was interested in. They stopped at one near the center, Naomi and Raye stepping back to let L do his thing.

L carefully analyzed Rhydon through the sturdy steel bars. He was slouched against the wall, scratching his damaged horn, his brow furrowed in anger. His armor was still heavily dented, making it hard to tell if it would ever recover. He bared his teeth and mumbled to himself. After a few seconds, he paused, head slowly turning up to meet L’s intense gaze. “The hell you want, twerp?”

“Just to talk.”

Rhydon snorted in disbelief. “I’ve got nothing to say to you.”

“Well, that’s a shame, because I have a lot to say to you, and you have nowhere to go.” That earned an annoyed eye roll from Rhydon, which L ignored and continued. “Do you happen to know anything about Decidueye?”

Rhydon froze, curling his lip into a twisted grin. “Of course, everyone knows about him,” He huffed. “He’s that one guy who’s been killing mons.”

L narrowed his eyes. “You know that’s not what I meant.”

“Haven’t heard a damn thing about him,” Rhydon scoffed, the grin widening.

L knew from the grin that it was a lie, but not just a lie. This was a taunt. “Your expression says otherwise. I would suggest you start saying everything you know.”

Rhydon laughed, his hand on the side of his head. “Oh my, how observant of you, O great cold-hearted pursuer.” He spat at the ground mockingly. “And if I do know a thing or two about Decidueye, what are you gonna do about it, kill me? No, you won’t stoop that low. You’re more of a negotiating sorts, aren’t ya?” He held his arms behind his head, propping his leg up. “So, what’s in it for me, huh?”

L stepped closer to the bars, slouching forward as he tapped his lips. “Perhaps if you answer my questions, we can discuss shortening your sentence.”

That made Rhydon choke on air, scrambling to his feet. It was enough to make L hide a smirk. Got you. He could feel Naomi and Raye’s stunned eyes on him.

Rhydon rushed to the bars, grabbing them tightly. “Are you serious?”

L didn’t break eye contact with him, noting how his hidden desperation for freedom made him squirm. “Of course, this is valuable information after all.”

Rhydon gasped, loosening his grip and stepping back. “Okay, what do you need to know?”

“Did you interact with him at all in Midnight Forest?”

Rhydon scoffed. “Of course I did, he was the one who showed me that place, suggesting it was perfect for hiding my hostages. What a load of Tauros crap!”

“What is your connection to him?”

Pausing, Rhydon tapped his foot on the ground. “Amaryllis and I go way back, he’s an old friend of mine,” He replied with a shrug. “I worked under the federation with him until that lousy son of a bitch, Boreal, screwed me over.”

Boreal, the head of the Exploration Federation, huh? L has heard the name before and many things about him, both good and bad. The one who first forged the federation decades ago with the hope of leading the Grass Continent to a new peaceful era. But he was also the one who made the final decision to pull out of the investigation. He’d never met Boreal before, but his history had L intrigued.

“Boreal, you say?” L asked, chewing at his claw. “And did Decidueye say anything about holding a personal vendetta against him?”

“Amaryllis never specified having one, though I wouldn’t be surprised if Boreal screwed him over too,” Rhydon replied harshly, offended by L not calling him by his real name. “If anything, he’s disappointed that no one from there is chasing after him anymore. Told me picking off the small fry was getting boring, which I didn’t care for. Something ain’t right in his head.”

“Yet you were threatening to kill your hostages,” L retorted, raising a brow.

Rhydon rolled his eyes and leaned against the wall. “That was all for show to get them to listen,” He answered. “I’m not the murdering type, all I wanted was to get the hard-earned money that was so blatantly robbed from me, and if that meant getting it out of those Pokémon’s families, then so be it. Gotta survive somehow.”

“If you don’t agree with Amaryllis’s crimes, then why exactly did you two cooperate with one another?”

Rhydon smirked. “Said he needed some help testing the place out and promised to make it worth my while. Rewarded me in thousands and thousands of poké dollars, probably from the mons he killed. I wouldn’t be surprised if most of it came from Team Astral Keeper, those two were loaded, though I hated to hear they were victims.”

“Not enough if you’re conspiring with their killer,” L countered, giving a side eye to Naomi and Raye, who were both grimacing from the whole conversation. “Wouldn’t it have been more worthwhile for you to take advantage of your connection to give more intel on his whereabouts?”

A flash of regret passed by Rhydon’s face before it melded into somberness. “Hoshiko and Ryota were both great Pokémon, much better than Boreal,” He muttered, staring at the ground. “I would have followed them to the ends of this world if they were in charge instead of him, but they pursued Amaryllis and were the ones who paid for it. And what does Boreal do? Forbids his entire crew from pursuing him and discourages exploration teams from doing the same. Why in the hell would I want to help someone like that?”

“It wouldn’t have to be for him; if you claim that you would’ve followed them, then you wouldn’t have turned your backs on them like this,” L said, turning around and gritting his teeth. “In the end, your bitterness and pursuit of wealth won over your supposed loyalty to them, and where did that leave you?”

A guttural growl rose from Rhydon’s throat, and he spat out, “Don’t mock me!”

L didn’t answer, instead choosing to continue with his questions. “Did he say anything about where he was going?”

For a few minutes, Rhydon glared at L with hatred burning in his eyes. It made L wonder if he would stop answering all together, though the promise of freedom won over again.

“Are you kidding? That mon is paranoid as all hell when it comes to his whereabouts,” He grumbled, waving his arm to the sky. “The most I heard from him was that he was headed north-east. Wherever that is, I don’t know. It could even be a red herring, and he’ll choose to stay in Midnight Forest. I don’t get it, but he was really drawn to the place. How did you even know he was there, huh?”

“That is none of your concern.”

North-east. Well, it’s better than nothing. There was a variety of dark places in the area that could be worth checking. But with the few Pokémon they had, how long would it take for them to find those places? This could easily lead them in circles, though Misa could be a huge help in pinpointing places to go while Light’s aura meant they could seek Decidueye out from a distance.

“It was that little Riolu friend of yours, wasn’t it?”

L didn’t respond again.

The smirk Rhydon worn earlier returned. “You know, there’s something else Amaryllis told me that you might be interested in.”

That made L raise a brow curiously. “And what is that?”

The smirk widened into something more sinister and malicious. “He warned me about you and your friend.”

L froze, his eyes widening, which made the Rhydon snicker at the reaction. His claws balled into a fist, trembling as a storm combated with the chill of his mind, threatening to take over. “Is that right?” His voice was laced with venom, challenging Rhydon to choose his next words carefully.

“Yeah, said you two would be a threat if you ever caught wind of our actions,” Rhydon replied, reclining like he had won. “But she wasn’t with you. Neither of your teammates matched his description. What happened to her? Were his jabs at her being weak true? Did she give up chasing him? Oh, if only I could tell Amaryllis right now! The look on his face would have been priceless!”

Those words confirmed just the type of Pokémon he was speaking with. L wanted nothing more than to let his building anger loose on this Rhydon. Memories that he left buried away were beginning to resurface, and he did everything he could to force them down. But how could he? He gritted his teeth, allowing Rhydon to see his anger; allowing him to think he’s won before snatching it away. “Thank you for your cooperation, I will be going.” He turned and began walking towards Naomi and Raye.

“Heh, don’t forget about our deal, now!” Rhydon called out.

L paused, a small smirk crossing his face before it vanished with him turning and staring at Rhydon ominously, his bangs casting his eyes in shadow. “Oh, our deal? Well, I’m afraid I can’t fulfill my end of our deal. After all… you did just admit to conspiring with a murderer.”

Rhydon’s jaw dropped in shock. “What!?”

“Not only that, but even if we did shorten your sentence and you were freed, wouldn’t it be logical to assume that Amaryllis would hunt you down and kill you for talking? It’s like you said, he’s paranoid as all hell. It’s in your best interest to stay locked away.”

Stammering through his words, Rhydon’s whole world seemed to fall apart within seconds as his wide eyes trembled. However, they narrowed in a blistering fury as he pounded at the bars. “You lying coward! I swear, when I get out of here, I’ll kill you before he can! DO YOU HEAR ME!? I’LL KILL YOU!”

“Oh? I thought you were above killing. I would suggest you be careful what you say,” L warned as Naomi and Raye snarled at Rhydon. “You could end up extending your sentence instead.” Without another word, L spun around and walked past Naomi and Raye, Rhydon’s furious screams fading the further he got. North-east… where would be a good place to start? Or would it be worth keeping an eye on Midnight Forest to see if he returns? There’s a chance that he’ll predict Rhydon being captured, and that he talked, abandoning the place altogether. If that happens then where would he go next? Perhaps he’d find a similar place to the north-east. Unless he expects me to come to this conclusion which means he stays in Midnight Forest. What will you do, Decidueye? I can’t ignore either option.

A nudge made him shift to Naomi, who had her head tilted with concern. “L, you really need to be careful of how you conduct these interrogations,” She warned, though there was empathy in her voice. “If you lie to the wrong Pokémon, you’ll get yourself killed. This won’t change anything, you know?”

The pain in his heart flared up again, and he closed his eyes. Why does it hurt so much? Can’t it just fade away already? He pushed it down, squeezing his arms before dropping them, donning the mask once again.

“I’m doing what needs to be done.”

Chapter Text

Dear Misa,

It’s so wonderful to hear from you again, darling, and even more delightful that you’ve joined a team. I do remember meeting L once when visiting Wigglytuff, though he didn’t even have a team at the time. Make sure to keep Light’s ego in check, now! They’re both lucky to have you as a member, though I’m sure they already know this. We do hope this new opportunity will take you to grand new places, but don’t expect us to let you make all the discoveries. We’ve got a reputation to keep up after all!

Speaking of, we’ve started searching for the rumored Seven Treasures of the Grass Continent. No one knows for sure where they could be, but Gardevoir has spent much of her time researching dungeons that may house them. We’re starting with Mt. Avalanche, which Medicham has been complaining about not being ready for the cold. Members of the federation warned us not to go for our own safety. Ha! Who do they think they are, saying that to us? But there’s nothing to worry about, darling; it would be certainly disappointing if a little snow scared us away. You’ll be the first to hear when we discover the treasure. Good luck with your adventures, my dear, and give Wigglytuff our best regards.

-We miss you very much.

Lopunny, Gardevoir, and Medicham

~~~~~~

Dear Lopunny, Gardevoir, and Medicham,

NO WAY! You’re searching for the Seven Treasures!? Oh my gosh! You have to tell me as soon as you find them! Although who knows, we might just try searching for them before long. Haha! But to be honest, it’s going to be a while before we even consider that. Don’t freak out when you read this, but I’m helping L and Light chase after Decidueye. I know you warned me to stay as far away from him as possible, but hardly anyone else is going after him. I don’t just want to stand around and pretend nothing is happening. Not when explorers are scared. And where’s the fun in finding treasure if it’s not a race to see who gets there first? He’s totally ruining that for everyone!

You don’t have to worry about me either, we’ve been moving extra carefully these past few days, though each dungeon we go through, there ends up being nothing. I hope finding him doesn’t take too long. At least we know his identity; I can’t imagine how much longer it would take if we didn’t know who he was. My head hurts just thinking about it. Uuuuuuugggggh! Even if we haven’t found him, I’ve been getting closer looks at the dungeons, which has been totally great! I think some of them have secrets hidden, but I’m not telling which ones~! When this is all over, I’m dragging L and Light back to each of them whether they like it or not.

But seriously, I think the three of us, the police, and Wigglytuff will find him, and who knows, maybe we’ll get more help. I hope so at least. If anything happens, I’ll write you immediately. Good luck getting through Mt. Avalanche!

-With lots of love,

Misa

~~~~~~

Misa wrapped a rope around her torso, pulling the knot extra tight, and peered over the rugged cliffside which went down at an angle. Below was a Fletchling, who went by Griffin, lying on a flat platform jutting out from the side of the unstable cliff face, his wing pinned by a rock. She turned back to Light and L, who gave her a nod when they had a tight grip on the other end.

“Just hold on, Griffin!” She called out before sliding down, ignoring the gritty surface scraping her feet. A few small rocks tumbled around her, indicating that she needed to make this quick.

A glimmer of hope lit up in Griffin’s muted brown beady eyes. His orange and silver feathers were ruffled and dirty, his head drooped forward with exhaustion, and the blue band around his neck torn from impact.

She hurried to his side, seeing the rock wasn’t too big, just enough to keep him pinned. Picking it up slowly to avoid causing any more pain, she tossed it over the edge, and it tumbled down the slope. She carefully lifted him up, keeping his injured wing close to his side.

“Light! L! I’ve got him!” She called, the rope tugging at her as she began walking up the cliff face with her teammates’ assistance. Rocks tumbled down with each cautious step she took. He clung to her tightly, his breath catching in his throat, when the sound of a dull rumble echoed from the base.

Light and L’s heads popped up from the edge, the former reaching down to pull Misa up once she was close enough. As she laid Griffin down, he chirped pitifully, trying to move his injured wing before squawking in pain.

“Here. Let me take a look at it,” L said, brushing his claws against it, eyes squinting as he carefully pressed into multiple areas. He apologized quietly each time the small bird winced or chirped in pain. Leaning back, he grabbed some bandages from the treasure bag. “You’re lucky, it’s only sprained, but I wouldn’t recommend moving it.” He unrolled the bandage and began wrapping it under the bend of the wing to the secondary feathers. Holding the wing against the Fletchling’s side, he then wrapped the bandage around his chest, keeping it in place. “There we go, does that help?”

Griffin adjusted it to a more comfortable position. “Yes. Th-Thank you for saving me.”

Light nodded curtly and replied, “We know someone at the guild who can get a better look at it if you want us to send you there. Her name is Chimecho.”

“You’re not coming back yet?”

“We’ve still got one more job to do here before we can, but we’ll find you once we’re done,” Misa replied softly.

Griffin chirped nervously at the idea of being warped somewhere he hadn’t been before alone but knowing that it was at least a peaceful civilization made him relax. “Okay, please be safe out here.”

The team pulled out their badges, the orbs glimmering as the familiar yellow glow swirled around him. A pillar of light shot up from below, his silhouette disappearing as he was transported back to the guild. Everyone breathed out a sigh of relief.

“Landslide Cave really is no joke,” Light huffed, pulling out Griffin’s request and marking it as completed. “You’d think more Pokémon would stay away from it just from the name alone.”

Misa put her paws on her hips and raised an eyebrow. “Hey, that’s not fair, you don’t even know why any of them were here in the first place.”

“What reason could they have? Are they trying to prove something?” Light leaned against a rocky wall with his arms behind his head, waiting smugly for an answer from her.

“They could have been trying to find something or someone. Maybe something personal happened that forced them to come here.”

Light shrugged, not fully convinced by her argument. “I suppose so, but the least they could do is not go alone.”

Misa rolled her eyes. She understood where he was coming from. Lots of horror stories about Pokémon falling to their deaths or being trapped spread like wildfire around the continent. It would only be common sense to avoid the dungeon at all costs, but even then, he could at least be a little nicer about it. She was just relieved he didn’t say that to any of their clients’ faces.

“While I do agree that coming here is not wise, what’s done is done,” L tossed the bandage roll back into the treasure bag.

“That’s one way to put it,” Misa replied and turned to L curiously. “By the way, where did you learn to bandage Griffin’s wing up like that?”

“Chimecho showed me, she was overwhelmed with an influx of injuries, so I offered her a hand and got some medical training in return.”

Misa’s heart melted into a puddle as she let out a drawn out, gushing gasp. “Aww! I bet she really appreciated that! You’re such a sweetheart, L!”

A hint of pink dusted L’s cheeks, and he cleared his throat awkwardly. “It was practical to offer my assistance; the injuries could have gotten worse had Chimecho been handling them alone.”

Light playfully nudged him. “Sure, that’s the only reason why you helped,” His voice was brimming with obvious sarcasm while a smirk curled up his lip. When L elbowed him back, he snickered at the subtle rise he got out of the calm Sneasel.

“Well, whatever your reason, I still think it’s really sweet,” Misa insisted, walking by her teammates with a pep in her step. She could practically hear the gears turning in L’s head as she passed him. When they didn’t follow, she turned around. “Why are you guys just standing there? Don’t we still have another job to do?” Light chuckled, and the two followed close behind.

It had been a week since Misa joined the guild, and almost a week and a half since Light joined. Already, the guild felt like a real home to her. She never had a place to stay considering that she and Team Charm were always on the move. It was nice to have somewhere to come home to after a long day of explorations, rescues, and apprehending criminals. She especially loved getting to tell everyone about her day and then listening to their stories at dinnertime. Everything felt so full of energy and peaceful at the same time, something she desperately needed.

As for searching for Decidueye, so far, they haven’t discovered anything, nor were there any reports of Pokémon being murdered. While it was a relief, the longer the ruthless Pokémon was left free and roaming the continent, the more unnerved she became. That’s one of the other reasons why they were at Landslide Cave. Sure, there were plenty of Pokémon who needed rescuing, and she was more than happy to help, but this place also perfectly matched L’s description of dungeons he would lurk in based on what he learned from interrogating Rhydon.

No one was completely sure, but everyone knew to keep their guard up as they trekked through the dark, unstable cave. Currently, they were hunting down a thief, one who had the nerve to rob Kami and Leon early in the morning. It was a wonder the punk managed to get away as quickly as he did, but Naomi was able to identify him as a Zigzagoon, which shouldn’t be too difficult to apprehend. She could see why he chose to flee here as the walls shifted, making pebbles scatter along the ground.

“Light, do you see anything yet?” Misa asked, antsy to find this Zigzagoon.

Light closed his eyes, and the appendages on his head lifted. “No sign of Decidueye, but…” He paused, brow furrowing. “Zigzagoon is just ahead! Follow me!” The three dashed through the winding corridors of the cave until Light drew his hand back, aura burning brightly, and swung it in front of him.

A small purplish-black and white, bristly furred Zigzagoon with black stars over his eyes gasped and leapt to the side, biting into a tan bag he was dragging. The energy from Light’s palms exploded into the ground, blowing Zigzagoon back. He growled and jumped up, shaking out his fur.

“Dammit!” His voice was young and a bit nasally.

Light glared at him with his palms firmly placed against the cracks stretching across the rugged ground. “Are you Zigzagoon?”

Zigzagoon’s fur bristled, the volume of his growls rising defensively. “Yeah, what of it?”

“Then you must know why we’re here,” Light stood up, balling his hands into fists.

Zigzagoon released the bag from his mouth and stood in front of it. His tail lashed back and forth while keeping his stance wide to appear threatening. “Well, I’m not giving you this back! You’ll have to pry it from my fainted body!”

Light cracked his knuckles and smirked, more than ready to teach him a lesson. “That can be arranged.” Bending his knees, he charged at the dark type, swerving to the side as he darted out of the way in a zig zag motion.

Zigzagoon climbed up a rock, his fur bristling more before launching spiny quills down at them. The three rolled out of the way and the quills deflected from the rocks. He gasped when L dashed up from behind and swiped his claws at the dark types back, narrowly missing as Zigzagoon fell forward and tumbled down. His breathing heaved with the realization that he couldn’t win while frantically looking for a way out, darting to the left to avoid an incoming Dizzy Punch from Misa.

He rushed over to the bag like his life depended on it and clenched the top, jerking his head back to pull it over him. His heart skipped a beat when Light’s shadow loomed over him, and he yelped fearfully, attempting to run further into the depths of the cave. L and Misa slid in front of him, cutting off his escape route with their arms stretched out. Though L’s expression wasn’t judgmental. Instead, he was analyzing the frantic raccoon, searching deep within to uncover why he was so desperate.

Zigzagoon cowered, his ears drawn back against his head, as he trembled. His eyes shimmered from the tears welling up in them as Light stalked closer and closer to him. With a last-ditch effort, drawing whatever words he could find between his rapidly heaving breaths, he cried out in a shrill, pleading voice, “Please don’t hurt me! Just let me go! Please!”

The tightness in Misa’s shoulders eased as her arms dropped and back straightened up. Her heart ached seeing this Zigzagoon trembling, and her head screamed that something about this was very wrong. Wait… how old is he? She gasped when Light loomed over him.

“Maybe you should have thought of that before robbing someone,” He muttered, his voice sharp. The energy of his aura surged through his palms, making Zigzagoon yelp and whimper.

Without missing a beat, Misa jumped in front of Light, holding her arms out protectively.

He froze and the energy petered as his mouth dropped in surprise. “What are you doing, Misa!? Did we not come here to apprehend him!?”

“He’s just a kid!” Misa yelled, and the whole cave fell silent aside from Zigzagoon’s restrained sobbing. Light held her gaze, lost for words as he tried desperately to search for a comeback.

“But he shouldn’t… Then where is…” He dragged his hands through his hair in frustration. “He may be a kid, but that doesn’t change the fact he’s a thief!”

“I know, and I agree, but still!” Misa turned to Zigzagoon sympathetically. “Look at him.”

Light took a deep breath and met the kids wide, teary pink eyes, with his own wary brown ones.

Zigzagoon curled into himself, tail swished around his back paws. Tears fell down his cheeks, filling the silent cavern with the occasional drip against the rocks mixed with his quiet whimpers.

Light wanted so desperately to believe that this was a ploy, that this boy was just giving the crocodile tears, but he couldn’t find it in his heart to. He pinched the bridge of his nose and breathed out. “Kid, listen, you should have expected someone to come after you for this.” Despite the severeness of his words, his tone was surprisingly soft and sympathetic.

Zigzagoon looked down and sniffled. “B-But… it’s just…” His ears lifted as he sat up. “It’s my sister! She’s really sick, and our parents aren’t around anymore! I didn’t know what to do! I don’t have any money for medicine, so—!”

“Where is your sister?” L interrupted, grabbing the bag and heaving it over his shoulders.

Zigzagoon whipped around, at a loss for words. When L waited for an answer, expectantly, the dark type blinked and hopped to his feet, wiping his tears away. “She’s further down this way… please hurry!” He darted past everyone into the dark corridor, watching them anxiously.

Light looked like he wanted to argue but held his tongue. As they hurried through the cave, Misa could see that he was apprehensive about this. Wrestling with his thoughts. Expecting the worst. Wanting to find a reason to believe this was a trap. She brushed his arm as they ran and smiled, reassuring him that everything was going to be okay. Holding his breath, his eyes shifted to the ground before sighing and smiling back faintly at her.

Zigzagoon stopped in the middle of another corridor, grunting as he pushed a boulder twice his size. He flinched when Light stepped beside him, but relaxed when the Riolu helped him roll it to the side. A small hole was revealed from behind the boulder, big enough for the four to fit through, and small enough to keep large Pokémon out.

Zigzagoon dug his claws into the rock and darted through the hole while the others had to crawl. L took the lead, rolling the bag along the ground while shuffling his knees and claws forward. Light followed, with his ears pressed against his head in displeasure.

Misa curled her ears in, uncomfortable by how close the walls were around her. One wrong move and they would be trapped in here, or worse. She suppressed the shiver threatening to run up her spine.

“Izzy! I’m here!” Zigzagoon gasped, bursting from the hole into a small den. A smaller, reddish brown and cream Zigzagoon with a black mask around her weary, green eyes was lying on a bed of feathers and small pebbles, cheeks bright red, and breathing shakily. He rushed to her side, nosing her awake.

She coughed weakly, sniffing the air and nuzzling Zigzagoon, struggling to keep her eyes open. “Who…” Another cough rippled through her body. “…are they…?”

L crouched next to her, feeling her forehead for a fever. Her fur was damp and burning up, signaling it was time to get to work as he quickly opened the bag to examine the stolen goods. “We’re here to help you,” He whispered, keeping a calm tone while brushing her head comfortingly. “Your brother went as far as Treasure Town to get help.”

Izzy sniffled and smiled weakly at Zigzagoon. “Thank you… Ziggy…”

Ziggy nuzzled her, wrapping his tail around her comfortingly, while L pulled out a few oran berries, pecha berries, and energy roots from the bag. Light and Misa huddled around L while he sliced the berries into small pieces.

“Light, in the treasure bag, you should see a small bowl, could you do me a favor and hand it to me?” L requested, muttering a thank you when Light pulled it from the bag. He dropped the slices and roots into the bowl. “Now, I need you to smash these into a pulp.”

Light nodded and slammed his fist into the wooden bowl, ignoring the feeling of berry juice squishing against his hand. He did this a few more times before there was no trace of any lumps in the pulp.

L hummed in satisfaction and mixed the pulp slowly before sliding the bowl to Izzy, tilting it up so she could reach the newly mixed medicine. She weakly sniffed it, and her nose scrunched up at the bitter smell from the root.

He kept the bowl close, not even thinking about moving until she took it. “I know it doesn’t smell the best, but the sweetness of the pecha berry should counter some of the bitterness.”

Izzy pouted, staring at her brother, who pressed into her reassuringly, and licked the medicine up. The first few licks made her whine at the taste, but she forced herself to finish it all, perking up a little.

L smiled, reaching out from the bag for a white gummi and handing it to her. “There you go. Well done, Izzy.”

She beamed at him and quickly scarfed it down, humming at the taste. “Th-Thank you!” She said gratefully, her voice already sounding stronger. The others could tell they weren’t out of the woods yet, as her fever still lingered, though it wasn’t as intense. She let out a gaping yawn and curled up against her brother, slowly drifting off as her breathing stabilized.

Once they were certain she was fast asleep, Misa broke the silence. “So, your name is Ziggy?” Ziggy nodded slowly. “It’s nice to meet you. Sorry about earlier. How old are you and your sister?”

“Um…” Ziggy shifted awkwardly. “Thirteen… and Izzy is nine.”

“You’re only thirteen? Where are your parents?” Light asked, raising an eyebrow.

Ziggy looked down, shaking and picking at the ground, holding back more tears. “I don’t know… They went out a week ago saying they needed to take care of something… but they haven’t come back yet.” He squeezed his eyes shut. “Wh-Where are they…? I don’t understand… why aren’t they home yet…? I… Did they—” A sob shook his body while a tear slipped down his cheek. “Did they leave us behind…?”

Misa pulled Ziggy into a tight hug, and he froze, trembling before going limp and wailing into her arms. He wrapped his front legs around her, shaking and gasping in between cries, while she rubbed soothing circles around his back. “I’m so sorry,” She whispered. “I’m so so sorry.”

She searched for the right words to say, but how could she bring comfort to a kid whose parents were missing? Swimming through a raging sea in the middle of the most ferocious hurricane would have been easier. So, for the time, they just let the dam of emotions he held burst, sending a flood of anguish crashing through the den.

Despite being at a loss for words, a deep pain stirred within Misa’s heart, one that felt all too real despite not even understanding why. Could this have been the pain she was feeling when she first woke up a year ago? All she knew was that she understood deep down how Ziggy was feeling and wanted to do everything she could do help him.

As the minutes drifted by, Ziggy slowly tired himself out, his cries dying down to quiet sniffles as he slumped against Misa and stayed there in her arms. She carefully held him out in front of her, wiping a few tears from his cheeks.

“Did that help?” She whispered.

Ziggy sniffled, wiping his nose and eyes. “A little…”

She hummed, holding his cheek reassuringly. “You wanna know something?” She asked, and he nodded slowly. “We’re going to look for your parents, and in the meantime, you can come back to Treasure Town with us, and we’ll find you a nice place to stay. I promise.”

Ziggy gasped, being taken by surprise from her words. “B-But what about…?”

Light stepped in, crouching next to Misa and Ziggy, embracing a new warmth for the young boy. “We’ll explain everything to Chief Soichiro and the Kecleon brothers. They’ll understand.”

Ziggy sniffled, jumping into Light’s arms and hugging him tightly, and the Riolu smiled, returning it with his own gentle hug. “Thank you! Thank you thank you thank you!” He then jumped into L’s arms and hugged him too, who was stunned at first but awkwardly hugged him back. “Thank you for helping my sister!”

“You’re welcome,” L whispered, reaching into the bag again. “Are you hungry? We’ve still got a couple of apples and gummis left.”

Ziggy’s eyes widened as he stared at the bag, timidly asking, “Are you sure?”

“I wouldn’t have asked if I wasn’t,” L said bluntly, pulling out both an apple and another white gummi, handing them to him.

A light blush painted Ziggy’s cheeks as his stomach grumbled from staring at them. “I am pretty hungry,” He admitted, taking both from L. “Thanks again.” He bit into the apple, his tail wagging as he hummed happily. Once both were finished, he curled up next to his sister and yawned, slowly drifting off.

The rest of the team smiled at each other and took turns watching the entrance of the den for any signs of wild Pokémon, while also taking a moment to relax after all the work they put in. As they did, they discussed where to take Izzy and Ziggy once things were cleared up. Admittedly, even though Diglett was there, the guild wasn’t the best place for two young kids to stay, especially with exploration teams outside the guild coming in and out. There wasn’t a doubt in their minds that both Wigglytuff and Chatot would’ve taken them in, but they decided to leave it as a last resort for now. Anything was better than staying here alone.

Maybe they could ask Kangaskhan. It would only be temporary if they found the kids’ parents after all, and even if it became their permanent home, she would’ve been perfect for them. Plus, Junior would have some older kids to look up to and play with. They all agreed to ask her when they returned.

A couple hours of peace passed before the kids woke up, Izzy still a little unstable on her feet but ready to go. Her green eyes were brighter after sleeping and her fever was already close to breaking. As Ziggy woke up and everyone started getting ready, he frantically realized he didn’t even know everyone’s name and felt bad for not asking in the first place. The team chuckled, introducing themselves to him, and reassured that there was nothing to worry about. Once they were set, the trio pulled out their badges and were immediately warped back to the crossroads.

Izzy gasped, taking in the sunlight soaking into her fur and darting around the crossroads, checking out the well, seeing how high the stairs to the guild went up, and listening to the voices coming from Treasure Town. “You live here? So coooool!” She darted back to Ziggy, nearly tripping over her own paws while her tail wagged. “Are Mom and Dad staying here with us when they come back? Oh! We need to tell them!”

Ziggy’s expression fell, silently pleading to the others for help.

“We have to find them first,” Misa replied, seeing Ziggy’s ears perk up gratefully. “They’ll definitely want to stay here when we do.” Light tried to hide a wince, but she picked it up out of the corner of her vision.

“Ooooooh! I hope they come home soon!” Izzy cheered and did a cute hop. “Do you think there are any kids here? Maybe we can make some friends! I wanna play with them!” In her excitement, she let out a small cough and cleared her throat.

Ziggy patted her on the head. “Maybe you should wait until you’re better before thinking of playing.”

“But I don’t wanna waaaaait! I feel fine!” Izzy complained and stomped her paw in defiance.

“Listen to your brother, Izzy,” L ruffled the fur on her head. “He’s just trying to look after you.” Izzy pouted and stuck her tongue out, which only made him chuckle. “Tell you what, I’ll introduce you to everyone at the guild. How does that sound?”

Izzy’s pupils widened into plates. “Are they nice?”

“Very nice,” L leaned closer and whispered mischievously, “But if you see Mr. Chatot, make sure to be extra loud, he loves that.”

Light rolled his eyes. “Oh, that’s going to go well.”

Izzy jumped up and down enthusiastically. “Yeah yeah! I wanna meet everyone at the guild! Pleeeease?”

“Just follow me,” L looked back at the others more seriously. “Can you two take care of the rest?”

“No worries, we got it,” Light replied.

L smiled and looked at Ziggy. “It’ll all work out, just trust us.” The young dark type smiled back sheepishly. L nearly fell over when Izzy bunted his legs, taking a step forward to balance himself. He scrunched his nose in amusement as she ran up the stairs giggling like a gremlin. “Oh, you think you can get away with a sneak attack like that, do you? Well, come here!” He ran up the stairs, catching her by surprise with how fast he was, as he scooped her up in his arms. She squealed and laughed, playfully pawing at his face as the two disappeared over the top of the staircase.

Misa and Light could have sworn they could hear L laughing from the top, though the two were too far away to tell.

“You know, this is only proving my point,” Misa hummed.

Light shrugged. “But is he going to admit it?”

“Nope!” Misa laughed and crouched next to Ziggy. “Are you ready?”

Ziggy’s ears lowered worriedly. “No…”

“We’ll be with you the entire time, promise,” She reassured.

Ziggy took a shaky breath, choosing to believe in her as he puffed out his chest. He wasn’t one hundred percent ready, but knew he had to face his actions eventually.

Before they could make their way to the station, Light paused, staring at the bushes near the well, noticing they rustled as a cool breeze blew by.

“What’s wrong?” Misa asked, her and Ziggy waiting for him.

Light stared for a few seconds longer, as if he were expecting someone to come out, and shook his head. “Nothing. Must’ve been the wind,” He replied, following them to the station and whispering to her. “You really shouldn’t say things like that. What if we don’t find them?”

 Misa grimaced. “What am I supposed to tell her?” She questioned with an eyebrow raised.

“Only the first part,” Light whispered back. “There’s too much that could happen to make a promise like that, and you know it.”

Misa shook her head and folded her arms. “I couldn’t just ruin her excitement.”

“Then you better hope we find them.”

Misa shushed him when Ziggy looked back worriedly. “Here we are!” She called out clearer, hearing Light sigh in exasperation. We don’t know what happened yet, haven’t they been through enough?

As they approached, a few Magnemite eyed Ziggy warily, and he cowered, scurrying in between Light and Misa. As they reached the entrance, Light knocked at the door twice and peeked in.

“Chief Soichiro? Are you here?” He perked up when he saw Soichiro talking to Magnezone before noticing his arrival. The chief lumbered over to the Riolu with a warm expression.

“Welcome back, Light. Is there anything I can help you with?”

“If you don’t mind, there is. So, this morning, you know how the Kecleon brothers were robbed?”
 

“Yes.”

“Well, we found the Zigzagoon who did it, but… it’s a bit complicated. You see, he only did it because his little sister was sick, and he didn’t have any money to buy her the medicine. He’s only thirteen years old, and their parents just left one day and haven’t returned yet. They’ve been alone for about a week and need our help. Luckily, we were able to help her but is there any way we could absolve him?”

Soichiro peered outside to see Ziggy trembling and rubbed his chin, giving the kid an understanding smile. “I certainly don’t have a problem with that, but it would be best if we talk to Kami and Leon about this. Magnezone, would you mind calling them to the station?”

Magnezone rotated their magnets and buzzed. “BZZT! Of course, Chief. I’ll return shortly. ZZT!” As he left, Ziggy inched into the station slowly, hiding behind Misa and avoiding the chief’s gaze.

“Um… I’m really sorry…” He whimpered, shuffling his paws. “I won’t do it again, honest.”

Soichiro padded to him, laying down to get on his level. “You’ve been through a lot, haven’t you?” He asked gently, and Ziggy hummed in affirmation. “I’m sorry you were forced to resorting to this. If you stick around here, assuming things go well with the brothers, I assure you, you’ll be taken care of.” When Ziggy gave him a questioning glance, he added. “You and your sister.”

Hope brightened Ziggy’s round, innocent eyes as he inched closer to Soichiro. “Then can you help us find our parents too?”

“I will do everything in my power to find them, young man,” Soichiro replied sincerely, walking to his desk and beckoning the boy to follow. He sat on his hind legs and took a quill in his paw, hovering it over a sheet of blank paper. “Can you tell me what they look like?”

“They’re both Linoone, though our mom is a dark type one like me while our dad is a normal type one like Izzy,” Ziggy explained, as he hurried up to Soichiro’s side, shuffling his feet anxiously. “Mom had these cool ring piercings in her right ear, and Dad wore a bandana on his head.”

Soichiro skillfully wrote down the description as he listened, nodding along slowly. “And what are their names?”

“I’m pretty sure it was Helena and Flick,” Ziggy replied, his ears drooping. “Though we hardly saw anyone else besides the wild Pokémon at home, so they were always Mom and Dad to us.” He stared at the ground. “Chief… I miss them so much.”

Soichiro sighed softly, lowering his muzzle to tap Ziggy’s head comfortingly. “You must be so scared, aren’t you?” He asked, and Ziggy nodded, his eyes misty. “But you’ve been very brave too.”

“How? I don’t feel like I have.”

Soichiro tilted his head to the side and chuckled, making the young Zigzagoon relax. “Take a look at what you’ve managed to do, my boy,” He encouraged. “Your sister was sick, and you did everything you could to help her even though you were scared. And when you met Team Task Force, you sought their help even though they were after you. It also takes a lot of courage to admit that what you did was wrong.”

“You think so…?”

“I do, I’ve been chief here for a long time, and there are still days where I’m very afraid of what could happen when going out to fight criminals.”

Ziggy’s mouth gaped, his ears lifting in interest. “But you don’t look like it.”

Soichiro chuckled. “That may be true, but right now I’m working on a dangerous case, with a Pokémon out there who could do serious harm if he isn’t arrested soon. He’s already hurt a lot of Pokémon and letting him continue on is terrrifying. But despite this, I have a duty to uphold, and that fear empowers me to find and take him down.”

“You’re… amazing,” Ziggy shifted and turned to Light and Misa. “All of you are amazing. I want to be like you when I grow up.”

Light sat next to him and smiled. “I think you’re already on the right track.”

Ziggy’s eyes sparkled. “You mean it?”

“Yeah.” Light replied softly, and Ziggy pressed against him.

The door swung open, making him flinch, as Magnezone floated back in with Kami and Leon following close behind. They stared at him, their expressions hard to read.

Ziggy took a shaky breath and bowed his head in front of them humbly. “Mr. Kami. Mr. Leon. I’m really sorry for robbing you this morning, it wasn’t right of me to do. I don’t have the berries and roots I stole anymore, because I needed them for my little sister. She was really sick, and I was scared, but that didn’t make it right. I’ll do whatever I can to pay you back for everything if you forgive me.” He met them shakily, trying to keep a brave face while waiting anxiously for a response.

Kami stared blankly at him, the air thick with tension as he whispered something to Leon, who nodded and whispered back to him. The two nodded again, their expressions softening, and Kami got down on his knees. “There’s nothing to be forgiven, but we do have a question for you. How would you like to stay with us?”

Ziggy blinked in disbelief. “W-What?”

“We have plenty of room at our shop, if you wish to stay, that is,” Leon replied warmly. “A few missing pieces of merchandise isn’t going to put us under, and it would be cruel of us to have you put behind bars after everything you’ve been through.”

“Yes yes,” Kami added warmly. “Officer Magnezone already filled us in on what happened, you don’t have to worry about paying us back at all.” He clasped his hands together. “And don’t worry about being the one to raise your sister, we can take care of that, all we ask is that you focus on being a kid.”

“But why would you want to take us in?” Ziggy asked, his voice cracking as tears welled up in his eyes.

“Because you deserve a nice, stable home. Not that treacherous dungeon you’ve been staying in.” Leon reached his arm out with Kami. “So, what do you say?”

Tears streamed down Ziggy’s face as he jumped into their arms. “YES! PLEASE! THANK YOU—!” He hiccupped and cried. “THANK YOU SO MUCH!” The two hugged him back, smiling warmly at him as he cried, feeling the relief radiating from him as his new home was officially set in stone. He sniffled and pulled back, a new determination fueling him. “You won’t be sorry; I’ll help out around the store with whatever you need.”

“Oh sweetie, you don’t need to do that,” Leon chuckled. “We can handle everything.”

“But I want to though.”

Kami patted his head. “We can talk about it once you and your sister settle in, where is she by the way?”

“By now, probably giving L a run for his money at the guild,” Light replied with a smirk. “We’ll bring her by the shop and introduce you once she’s ready if you have to get back to work.”

“That’s very kind of you, it would be best to make sure she wants to stay with us too,” Leon added. “Whenever you’re ready to move in, just let us know, we’ll make sure the place is ready for you two.”

Ziggy wagged his tail. “Okay, thank you again!”

“You’re very welcome!” The brothers said in unison. “Until then!” The two left the station, and Ziggy jumped up and down with excitement.

“I have a new home! A real home! This is crazy! Is this real? Please tell me I’m not dreaming.”

“This is very much real,” Soichiro replied reassuringly. “You’ll love it around here, I’m certain of it.”

“Oh! Are there any kids around? Izzy was wanting to know.”

“I know a couple who would want to be friends with you two,” Light replied, a fond look in his eyes at the recollection of them. “Their names are Azurill and Marill, they’re both around her age and really sweet.”

Ziggy’s tail wagged and he hopped up, jumping in a zig zag. “I gotta tell sis right now!” He darted out of the station, making Light and Misa exchange an amused glance and said goodbye to Soichiro. They followed him up to the guild, watching as he ran over the grate.

“POKEMON DETECTED! POKEMON DETE— Wah— HEY! GET BACK ON THE GRATE!”

Ziggy skidded to a halt and turned around. “My bad!” He hopped onto the grate, wagging his tail and tapping his paws anxiously before they confirmed his footprint and jumped down the ladder. Light and Misa alerted Diglett of their return and climbed down after Ziggy, noting that he wasn’t zooming around on the second floor, and searched for him on the bottom.

Izzy was currently leaning on L, standing on her hind legs with her front paws on his hunched back as he sat in his crouched position. Bidoof, Sunflora, Chimecho, and Griffin were all watching in amusement. Griffin still had his bandages on, but his energy had returned as he stood proudly with his chest puffed out. Ziggy ran over to Izzy and nudged her.

“Ziggy! Where did you go?” Izzy asked, leaning back excitedly.

“I had to talk to some other Pokemon but guess what! We have a new place to stay! These two really nice Kecleon named Kami and Leon offered to take us in, and we’ll be right next to the guild.”

Izzy leaned forward, her paws making L lean forward too and grunt, which earned a few snickers from the others as he furrowed his brow slightly. “Reeaaaaaaally?”

“Yup, and there’s also kids here to play with, we can meet them tomorrow if you feel better.”

Izzy let out a drawn out, dramatic gasp, and Misa could have sworn she could see stars in the young girl’s eyes. She bounced up and down on L’s back while chanting, “Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes!” She looked down at him. “Did you hear that, Mr. L? I’m gonna have a home and new friends!”

“Yes, I did hear,” L replied with a smile, ignoring the slight pain in his back. “Sounds like you have a lot to look forward to tomorrow.”

“Yeah! But you’ll still play with me too, riiiiiight?”

L bit his claw and hummed. “I’ll do my best to.”

“Noooooo, you have to, pleeeeeeeeeeeease?” She looked over his shoulders, giving him the biggest baby doll eyes she could and pouting.

L leaned back on his heels. “Alright, alright, but I can’t promise I’ll be able to all the time, okay?”

“Yay!” Izzy hugged him, giggling as he reached over and patted her head. Her tail wagged faster when Light and Misa walked up, sitting next to everyone. “Hi!”

Misa waved at Izzy. “Hey, how are you feeling?”

“Great! This is so much fun!”

Misa giggled at the girl’s energy, seeing a bit of herself in her. She had to admit, it was a little bit exhausting keeping up with her, but at the same time, she would rather Izzy be bounding around energetically than back in Landslide Cave and sick. Her future was so much brighter here, and no one would dare to cause her any harm now. Not with Ziggy, all the members of the guild, police force, and the Kecleon brothers looking after her.

“You should have seen her earlier; she had L running laps around the second floor. Chatot had to retreat to the guildmaster’s room because of how loud she was being,” Chimecho giggled but then realized something. “Oh, what time is it?” She fluttered to the window, gasping when the sun was setting. “Shoot! I need to get started on dinner! Griffin, kids, will you be staying?”

“If you’ll have me,” Griffin replied, interested by the mention of dinner.

“Please,” Ziggy added while Izzy was calling out that she was starving dramatically. His ears lowered in embarrassment, making him nudge her. “Izzy, shhhhhhh! Be nice!” When she gave a cheesy grin, he groaned and shook his head.

Chimecho giggled. “We’d be delighted to have you three, I’ll get a little extra prepared then.” She fluttered into the mess hall with a chime and began preparing their dinner while everyone else went back to chatting idly.

“So, Griffin, why were you at Landslide Cave earlier?” Light asked curiously, which made Misa want to kick him or cover his mouth. Seriously? You’re asking him that? Why?

“Because flying through there gives me a thrill like nothing else,” Griffin closed his eyes, picturing the experience in his head. “Weaving through its treacherous rocks that slide past, the force of the wind in my wings as I pick up speed, the amount of pride in my chest when I make it out unscathed. The feeling is completely irreplaceable, though… it did almost cost me my life this time.” He pondered the thought for a while, seriously questioning whether or not he should go back.

Light looked over at Misa, revealing a smirk that said I told you so, to which she rolled her eyes and ignored him. “How’s the wing feeling?”

“Sore as heeee—” He lingered on the word, quickly being reminded that there was a nine-year-old here as the others glared at him. “—ck. Sore as heck. But it could be worse.”

“No kidding, we’re just glad you’re safe now. So, how’s everyone else’s day been?” Misa asked, ready to hear what everyone had to share and scooted closer. She rested her paws in her lap with her ears pricked up attentively.

“Pretty good, Bidoof and I went out on an exploration today over in Oran Forest,” Sunflora began. “Oh my gosh, you should have seen it, the place was absolutely gorgeous, Misa! The sunlight illuminated the trees and made the early morning dewdrops shimmer like a light show. And the oran berries hanging from the trees enhanced all of it. It didn’t take us long to explore, but we didn’t want to leave!”

Bidoof blushed and smiled brightly. “Yup yup! It sure was mighty pretty!” Then sheepishly, he added. “B-But not as pretty as you were, Sunflora. Your smile was much brighter than any glimmering dewdrop and even that ol’ sun!” There was a chorus of awws when he finished his sentence, and he hid his face.

Sunflora’s cheeks flushed as she sheepishly looked away, unable to contain her glee. “Awwww! Oh my gosh, Bidoof! You’re so sweet!”

“W-Well, it’s the truth, you’re very pretty,” Bidoof reaffirmed, a bit more confident.

Sunflora squealed. “I love going on explorations with you!”

“Me too, yup yup!”

Misa smiled as the two gushed at each other, admiring just how close they were. And appreciating just how relaxed and comfortable the atmosphere was. Ziggy was now resting next to Izzy, his eyes filled with hope as his sister continued yapping to him and L. She couldn’t even begin to imagine how that week alone felt, which was why she was so relieved he wouldn’t have to worry about it anymore. Even with the threat of Decidueye looming over their heads, she knew everyone had each other’s backs.

As she leaned back on her paws and enjoyed the peace, her ears twitched, picking up Loudred calling to Diglett. She tilted her head curiously and listened closer.

“HEY!” Loudred yowled into the sentry hole, grabbing everyone else’s attention. “DIGLETT! Where are you GOING?” Diglett had burrowed off from his post, in a hurry to meet someone at the grate.

“It’s Ayaka! AYAKA’S BACK!” Diglett called back, his shrill voice a mix of disbelief and eagerness.

Sunflora, Bidoof, and L all stood up in shock, while Corphish, Crogunk, and Dugtrio twisted towards Loudred, eyeing him for confirmation. Chimecho flew out of the mess hall, her tail swaying rapidly from how fast she was going. Chatot flew from the guildmaster’s chambers, Wigglytuff close behind and nearly dropping an apple he was balancing on his head. Meanwhile, Misa, Light, Ziggy, Izzy, and Griffin were all left feeling confused at the new name.

Sunflora and Bidoof both glanced at L, who was staring at the ladder, holding his breath like he was questioning whether or not the name he heard was the same one that held significance to him. He bit hard into his right claw, his body trembling, though it was hard to tell from what. Excitement, nervousness, anticipation? Who was to say.

Light and Misa, watched the ladder with the others, wondering just who this Ayaka was and why she was so important, while Diglett burrowed in next to his father and beamed excitedly.

A Fennekin carefully climbed down, with a subtle limp in her step, and faced everyone. However, she didn’t look like the typical fire fox Pokémon, the pale cream pattern on her face not only covering her muzzle and cheeks but also pointing diagonally around her tired, ocean blue eyes like the bottom of a star turned upside down. Her chest fur was fluffier and pale cream, resembling the fur of a Sprigatito, which was covered by a red-orange scarf that shared the same color as her ear tufts and tip of her tail while a bit of fur swirled out near the bottom of it. The tips of her ears were both torn while bandages were wound around all four of her legs. She had long, thin, black stripes on her cheeks and forehead. Her posture stiffened when she realized everyone was staring.

A Popplio and Snivy followed her and scanned the crowd curiously. The Popplio was a bit larger and also looked different from the usual sea lion Pokémon. Her ear flaps, which would have normally been in the shape of teardrops, were a bit higher on her head and instead curled into swirls, though Misa couldn’t tell which Pokémon they resembled. Light blue jagged spots were along her back and below her soft pink, round, kind eyes, and she wore a bow of the same color, covering a bit of the ruff around her neck that was the same color as her spots. Her flippers were more pointed at the ends while her chest had a white stripe that went down to her back ones. She whispered something softly to the Fennekin, her voice calming and gentle.

The Snivy looked like the usual grass snake, the main difference being that the vibrant green skin was instead turquoise and seemed to be shining faintly. An orange band was wrapped around his leafy tail, which waved up and down. His demeanor was the opposite of the Popplio’s, his mocha eyes revealing a hint of feistiness, as he slightly shifted his slender body, excited to see all the new faces, but also keeping himself contained for the Fennekin’s sake.

Silence filled the rooms as the three new Pokémon shared an intense stare down with the rest of the guild. The Fennekin slowly took in everyone’s faces, searching for all the ones familiar to her and recommitting them to memory. Her mouth opened and then shut with her struggle to find the words lodged deep within her throat.

Bidoof was the first to approach, greeting her with a warm, friendly smile. “Hey there, Ayaka.” He reared up on his hind legs and held his front legs out, inviting her into a warm embrace.

The Fennekin named Ayaka stared at him, hesitantly walking up and pressing into his chest. He wrapped his front legs around her and rested his head against hers. She shivered and laid her chin on his shoulder, returning the hug awkwardly. “Hey Bidoof…” She whispered, her somewhat low voice tired and shaky.

Sunflora joined the hug, squeezing her tightly. “We were so worried about you. Thank goodness you’re safe.” Ayaka shifted her right front leg to reach Sunflora and nuzzled her. The other guild members soon carefully approached, welcoming her back warmly and asking how she was doing. L lingered behind, still in a trance as he stared at everyone else. His mind seemed to finally reactivate though, as he pushed past the others and approached her. Bidoof and Sunflora released her to let the two have their moment.

Ayaka breathed in, smiling up at him genuinely. For a moment, there was a light in her eyes just from seeing him. “L…”

L shifted his feet awkwardly, staring at the ground and biting his lip. He finally met her gaze, a hint of a smile crawling on his face. “Hello Ayaka.”

The smile brightened on her face hearing his voice again, something she must’ve not heard in so long, as it breathed in tranquility through her troubled soul. But then it faltered, her posture deflating as she turned away, the air between them growing uncomfortable, almost suffocating. L stepped back; a small, questioning hum escaping his mouth before he raised his guard.

“Hey, everyone give her some space,” Chatot scolded lightly, cutting through the tension with the flap of his wings, and everyone backed up as he gestured for Wigglytuff to approach.

Wigglytuff reached his arms out to her, and she hesitantly jumped into them. “Welcome home, Ayaka.” He whispered, understanding in his friendly and kind voice.

“It’s… good to be back, do you mind if we talk privately?” Ayaka asked, avoiding everyone’s stares and instead focusing on Wigglytuff’s.

“Of course,” Without another word, he took the lead, Ayaka and her companions following close behind.

She paused before walking into the guildmaster’s chambers, turning back to the crowd and meeting L’s wide gaze again. Longing seemed to hold her back, like it was pushing her to invite him to join, but she ignored the call, turning away and walking in as the doors closed behind her.

“Who is that L?” Misa asked.

He didn’t acknowledge her.

“L?” Light asked.

Still no response as he stared at the door.

Misa and Light glanced at each other, concerned for their teammate who was rendered completely speechless but equally curious of his history with this Fennekin. The minutes dragged on, feeling more like hours, everyone waiting on bated breath. Then, from inside the chamber…

“YOOM TAH!” The entire guild rattled, everyone covering their ears while Ziggy and Izzy pressed into each other, before everything stilled once again. Misa whispered to the kids that there was nothing to be afraid of. The doors slowly opened, and Wigglytuff was the first to appear, a pep in his step, while Ayaka and the rest of her companions followed, the Popplio and Snivy still a bit dizzy from the guildmaster’s hyper voice. The Popplio was wearing a treasure bag, while all three of them now had badges of their own, Misa noting the orbs were green like theirs.

Wigglytuff cleared his throat, dramatically stepping to the side, holding his nubby arms out like he was revealing the main event to a performance. “Everyone! Ayaka will be rejoining our guild with her new teammates, Mizu and Kouki, as Team Radiance. I know we’ve all missed her but be sure to welcome Mizu and Kouki especially since they’re new here.” Cheers erupted from everyone who was already familiar with her, though L remained quiet.

“Welcome back, Ayaka! And welcome Mizu and Kouki too! Yup yup!” Bidoof cheered.

“Team Radiance, huh? That’s a really cool name!” Loudred complimented.

The Snivy named Kouki puffed out his chest pridefully. “Heh, it’s great to be here. Looking forward to working with ya!”

The Popplio named Mizu bowed her head humbly. “Thank you very much for the warm welcome, Ayaka has told us so much about you.”

Everyone began crowding around Team Radiance, asking how they all met, what they were doing, when they decided to come back, and Kouki and Mizu answered a majority of the questions, while Ayaka was mostly quiet.

“Maybe we should introduce ourselves,” Misa suggested.

Light shrugged, still concerned about L who was waiting while tapping his foot anxiously. The trio noticed Ayaka squeezing through the crowd, now that their attention was more drawn on the new faces, and approached the others.

“You came back,” L whispered, a hint of warmth underneath his guarded voice.

Ayaka smiled slightly again, looking a bit nervous. “It’s good to see you again, L. How are you doing?”

L shrugged. “I’m doing fine,” He replied. “How about you?”

Ayaka bit her lip, not quite meeting his gaze. “I’m fine.”

“Hmm…” L didn’t question how she wasn’t meeting his gaze, choosing to instead move on. “So, Team Radiance, huh? That’s a lovely name.”

“You think so? Thanks, I thought it was lovely too,” Ayaka said, glancing at Light and Misa. “Who are these two?”

Light reached out a paws. “My name’s Light. I’m L’s teammate; it’s nice to meet you Ayaka.”

Misa held out her paw too. “And I’m Misa; also his teammate. It’s a pleasure!”

Relief flashed on Ayaka’s face, and she sat on her hind legs to shake their paws. “It’s nice to meet you too, I’m Aya—” She blushed and lowered her ears. “Wait, you already know that. It’s nice to meet you.” She pulled out her badge, showing it to them. “Wigglytuff ended up starting us at bronze rank instead of normal. What are you guys at right now?”

“We’re also at bronze, though we’re close to reaching silver,” Light replied, raising an eyebrow.

“Oh,” Ayaka seemed a bit surprised but didn’t act on it. “Let me introduce you to Kouki and Mizu.” She waved at her teammates through the crowd, and vines came out from Kouki’s shoulder, which he wrapped around Mizu’s waist and lifted her over the crowd with incredible strength that threw Misa and Light off guard and plopped her next to Ayaka. He then slammed the vines against the ground, flinging himself into the air, doing a twirl while his body seemed to glow brighter, before landing gracefully and posing like a model. His vine whips cracked once, and he made them retreat behind the bright yellow leaves on his shoulders.

The other apprentices gasped in awe, as Kouki bowed. “Thank you, thank you, I’ll be here all week!” Mizu clapped while Ayaka rolled her eyes.

“Yeeeeah, so these are my teammates, Mizu,” Ayaka introduced, gesturing to the Popplio who waved at them. “And this is Dumbass— I mean, Kouki.” She gestured Kouki with a smug grin, who put a hand over his chest and feigned an offended gasp.

“What did I do to deserve that, huh?” Kouki asked jokingly.

“You know exactly what you did,” Ayaka scoffed, rolling her eyes again.

“Now now, you two,” Mizu giggled and greeted the others with a polite bow. “It’s very nice to finally meet you, L,” She reached out her flipper.

“You as well,” L shook her flipper politely and gestured to his teammates as he told their names.

Kouki leaned closer to Light, examining him closely and making the Riolu a bit uncomfortable. He then leaned back and smirked. “I’d like to spar with ya some time, you look like y’know a thing or two about fighting.”

Light held a hand up. “No thanks, I’m not interested.”

“Ah come ooooooon, not even a little bit? You don’t have to hide it from your new guildmate,” Kouki put an arm around Light’s shoulder, who immediately removed the Snivy’s arm. “I can see it in your eyes; you’ve got that spark in ya. At least consider it.”

“Kouki,” Ayaka said firmly.

“What? It’s just for training.”

“Can you at least wait a day or two?”

“Oh fine, I guess I can,” Kouki conceded, though it was clear he was still interested in sparring with Light, much to his annoyance.

L suddenly stepped closer to Ayaka, making her freeze and lower her ears. “Where have you been this entire time? Why did you leave?” Despite the intensity of his voice, it wasn’t accusatory, just searching for answers to questions formulating in his head.

Ayaka stared down at her paws. “Oh, you know… around,” She chuckled nervously. “I… had some things I needed to figure out.”

“And were you successful?”

Ayaka breathed out a strained laugh and shook her head. “I don’t know, kind of?”

“How are your legs feeling? Have they been causing you any pain?” L asked, staring down at them and squinting. 

Ayaka brushed her front right paw along the bandage of her left leg, shuddering. “Not as much as they did before,” She winced as she adjusted her position. “Well, they’re hurting right now, but it’s fine.”

L breathed out a faint sigh and paused, reading the way she brushed her leg so shakily, the way she couldn’t quite meet his eyes, the way her ears drooped slightly. He crouched down to try and meet her gaze all the way, gently asking, “Are you absolutely certain you’re okay?”

Ayaka jerked up and forced a smile, her ears rigidly pointed straight. “Yeah! I’m good, great even!” She insisted a bit too enthusiastically. When he raised a brow, she lowered her ears again. “I’m just tired, it’s been a long journey.” There was an awkward pause between the two before she cleared her throat. “We’re going to get settled. Um… see you tomorrow?”

“See you tomorrow, Ayaka. Good night.” L repeated, looking like he wanted to say more, like he wouldn’t get another chance to speak with her again if he just let her go. But then he noticed how much she was fidgeting and allowed their conversation to end. There would be more, after all. She was here to stay, right? She didn’t move at first, closing her eyes and lifting a paw, before freezing and muttering something unintelligible under her breath. Before he could ask her to repeat it, she hurried away from the group, disappearing into the halls.

“Wait, I thought you were going to…” Kouki groaned when Ayaka was already gone and shook his head. “We don’t even know where we’re sleeping yet.”

Mizu waved down Chatot, who flew over to them. “Could you show us to our room, please?”

Chatot nodded politely. “Right this way,” He said, taking the lead.

Kouki and Mizu exchanged a glance of concern before turning to the others.

“You three have a good night,” Mizu said softly before the two followed Chatot, leaving Team Task Force by themselves, separated from the crowd who was chatting excitedly amongst themselves.

L stood back up, resting the Relic Fragment in his palm and staring into it. His claw traced around the pattern absentmindedly. Behind him, Misa and Light were quickly piecing together just who Ayaka was, recalling every small moment, every small hint that L let slip with his guard dropping. They all fell into place with Ayaka returning to the guild.

Though the two wanted to hear it from his mouth instead of relying on speculation, so Light took a step towards L and asked, “Who was she to you?”

At first, L didn’t say anything, making Light and Misa think they were going to have to ask him again. But then his claws gently curled around the Relic Fragment, and he lifted it close to his face, closing his eyes.

“She is my first partner.”

Chapter Text

Stillness. Something that was often considered a warm greeting after enduring an onslaught of hardships. Something that gave anyone who needed it a chance to breathe. Something that in one way or another was meant to bring comfort. Comfort after a long day of enduring what a world completely off balance dished out. Reassurance that tomorrow would always come. Calmness that brought peace and tranquility, guiding the weary to sleep through their pain. Stillness should have been considered a close friend.

But here… Stillness was agonizing.

The breeze no longer rustled the leaves of the towering trees. Droplets of rain were forever suspended in air, unable to fulfill their role of providing nutrients to the grass. Not a glimpse of moonlight shown through the thick brush, and the once vibrant colors were now drained to dull grays.

What happened here?

Naomi crept through the bushes of Treeshroud Forest, ears pricked up and searching for any signs of life. Around her, the wild Pokémon were frozen, unable to move from where they stood. From where they were running. Their eyes were widened in horror, mouths gaping as if they were screaming, tears welling up, though those tears never left their eyes.

How long had they been running before they were caught? Could they still see? Could they even breathe? Think? Feel? Were they even really alive? The more she thought about it, the more she didn’t want to know the answer. She shuddered and forced herself to focus on the current task. But how could she when everywhere she crept there was a statue of someone who was once able to move?

Could they even fix this?

They received the report from Team Ebony, who happened to be passing by the area after a mission on Mt. Travail. The moment they heard, Soichiro demanded that everyone in the station hurried over there. They were aware of what was hidden in the depths.

That’s why Naomi was chosen to go ahead of everyone else. She was smaller, stealthier, and could keep an eye out for anyone lurking in the forest. The others were currently scouting the rest of the dungeon. If any of them saw someone, they would sound the alert, whether it be through a howl or siren. She had a sinking feeling that whoever did it managed to get away before they could be frozen. She couldn’t even use her sense of smell to track anyone, the freeze forbidding any scent from drifting through the air.

Soon, a clearing came into view. Trees thicker than the ones she had seen before circled around four stone tablets, all devoid of color much like the rest of the forest. What she saw at the center made her tremble, or rather… what she didn’t see. She had been here before, seen it with her own eyes, the light blue gear that should have been swirling in its clocklike emblem, bringing forth time and, with it, life as well. On her first day, she was brought here, showing that it was her duty as an officer to protect it. And now it was gone. They failed.

Someone had stolen a Time Gear.

There was no other way to look at it, no matter how much she tried. There was no sign that it had simply fallen and needed to be put back in place. Yet, she couldn’t bring herself to believe it. Who would dare even think of stealing it? She was certain not even Decidueye would have considered that. He was despicable, but not in this way.

Taking a deep breath, she crept out from her hiding place, scanning the area just to be sure there wasn’t any evidence left behind. Any disturbances in the trees and bushes that would hint at the culprit’s presence. Any footprints left in the grass and where they could lead. The grass was long enough, surely there would be something. But as she kept searching, nothing ever showed up, like they were never even there.

Maybe Decidueye stooped to a new low? Or they were agile enough on their feet to not leave footprints. Then it couldn’t be a large Pokémon. While it did help, it didn’t narrow down the pool of suspects enough. Could they have been jumping through the trees? Or flying even? That would explain how they managed to get away so quickly. Considering that gave her more to go off of, but without any witnesses, they couldn’t get any further.

If only she could read into the minds of these poor Pokémon. Maybe getting a psychic type on hand would help. She also knew a Mismagius from the federation who specialized in incantations, though she wasn’t sure if that would be enough to help. Could she even read minds? The first time they’d met, her appearance unsettled Naomi; her silver body making her appear more ghostly than usual, bandage covering her right eye while the sharp, yellow left one appeared as if it could see right through her.

Even if she did have that ability, what were the chances that they would find anything? Would the federation even be willing to help? Considering how no one from there is assisting with Decidueye…

A growl rumbled in her throat, as she dug her claws into the dull grass. Boreal was better than this, she knew he was. It couldn’t just be because they lost one team. She refused to believe he was this much of a coward, yet the evidence stood before her. No help for seven whole months. No way to corner Decidueye while more innocent lives die. How could she expect his aid with this when he turned a blind eye once already?

Still, the news needed to be delivered at some point, and if they were lucky, someone would aid them. This was more urgent compared to what they were dealing with now. They could begin searching for witnesses outside of Treeshroud Forest, see if they spotted anyone suspicious, figure out when they stole the Time Gear, and where they’ll strike next.

The only problem was she didn’t know where the others rested. No one did as far as she knew. Or if they did, they rightfully kept it a secret. Would the thief know where they were? How could they get the upper hand on them? And how were they going to be able to investigate when they were already being pulled in too many directions?

Things were happening way too fast.

Taking a deep breath, Naomi lifted her muzzle, a loud howl tearing through the stillness of the forest, mentally preparing herself to break the news to her companions.

~~~~~~

But it was then that a message was sent to the Pokémon of the square from the prophet, Xatu. A great disaster was coming as he could foresee a… shit.

Light squinted his eyes, trying to decipher what the next word said. The first rune had a small Munchlax and Squirtle footprint facing up and side by side, while underneath was a Pikachu footprint facing right, but it looked awfully similar to another rune which made a different sound.

He grabbed the book on the language, flipping the pages to compare the two before looking back at the passage. “Hey L, this says meteor, right?” He asked, nudging the Sneasel who was sitting on his bed deep in thought.

L looked over his shoulder, silently mouthing the word and giving an approving nod before returning to think. Beside them, Misa was brushing her paws through her hair, making sure it was absolutely perfect for the day. She had just woken up a few minutes ago.

It was currently early in the morning, before Loudred would wake everyone up. Light had gotten into the habit of getting up earlier than usual to study, which had been doing him wonders. While the language seemed daunting at first, the way L explained it made it pretty easy to memorize. Each rune had a sound associated with it, and there were only five footprints that could ever possibly be in one: Munchlax, Squirtle, Pikachu, Meowth, and Torchic. All he needed to do was memorize which sound each rune made, and then he picked it up relatively quick. Memorization seemed to be another strength of his… which made having amnesia all the more frustrating.

But with the language under his belt, he could move on to studying the history of the world. Currently, he was reading about the Air Continent and the great disaster that happened ten years ago, the one Poppy prevented. This book was released a year ago, so it had kept up with the most recent past events. Something he noticed was that the book omitted that she was human. He guessed it was because she’d rather keep it to herself and wondered when he would hear from her.

History wasn’t the only thing Light was reading. He’d picked up another book from Chatot about Pokémon of the world, showing great enthusiasm in learning. Despite this, Chatot was still giving him wary glares and sternly warning him to take care of the books. He’d been taking care of the other two, why would the bird feel the need to reiterate. Because he still doesn’t trust me.

Thank goodness Chatot never learned what he did yesterday. He was certain that would be the final straw to kick him out of the guild even if Wigglytuff objected.

Though, once it was all said and done, Light felt horrible about the way he initially treated Ziggy, realizing he was far too quick to judge him. Sure, criminals like Drowzee and Rhydon deserved to be locked away, but what about Pokémon like Ziggy? He didn’t know what to think but was grateful to the kid for not hating him.

Speaking of not knowing what to think… A partner. L had a partner before him and Misa. In hindsight it all made sense. The fact that he had a team name as a solo explorer while none of the other apprentices did. Wigglytuff mentioning that he made another friend. Why he had two beds instead of one and refused to change the one that had been burned. Was he hoping that maybe Ayaka would return one day to reclaim it? These were all clues left behind, marking the trail to reveal the antsy Fennekin, though he wondered if it was even intentional.

Now she was back and couldn’t reclaim the bed he kept safe for her. Because Light stole it simply by being found by L. He felt dirty inside, not because he had stolen her place, but because it felt as if he were merely a replacement. One that L could use to his own disposal for whatever criminal was lurking in the shadows with their claws sharpened and poised to strike. The moment he was no longer useful or deemed too dangerous, he was certain to be thrown out.

And the worst part was the secretive Sneasel kept it hidden from him. Made him believe that he was a true, genuine partner and not filling the space of someone long gone. At least Misa had her own merit being the student of a Master Ranking Team, but he was just some amnesiac Riolu he found on the beach one day. Any success was tied to L because he was the first one Light knew before being taken in. How long would it be before L abandoned him in pursuit of his true partner?

The two things that could have given him a leg up over Ayaka hadn’t even been helpful throughout this whole investigation. He hadn’t had any visions since the day they fought Drowzee. He made sure to touch every little thing that could have a connection to the murderous bird, and yet nothing revealed itself to him. And although his aura had been useful for navigating dungeons, he hadn’t spotted Decidueye since that day in Midnight Forest. If he was around, somehow, he was using his ghost abilities to evade detection. He should be the top investigator, and yet here he was, completely and utterly useless.

He didn’t even get the chance to interrogate Rhydon, L just left him there while in the middle of their conversation. In the moment, he was more distracted with getting to know Soichiro, but now that he’s had time to think about it, his blood boiled more intensely than molten lava in the most treacherous volcano.

Maybe he wouldn’t have been so upset if he’d known sooner, but upon her arrival, all he could feel was bitterness lacing his tastebuds, urging him to demand L for answers in front of everyone. But he knew what they would say the moment his silver tongue struck. How could you say something so cruel?

He saw the way the two interacted, despite the strain from being separated masking the truth. That smile she gave him the moment he spoke to her and the one he returned, the way he was so careful with her, while he only greeted him and Misa with indifference, and maybe letting his guard down once or twice, it made him want to scream and punch a hole in the wall.

Ayaka had been gone for Arceus knows how long, and yet it was that easy for her to receive his warmth? How was that even fair? Light had been here, working beside L to search for that damn bird, while she was out doing who knows what. And by what L asked last night, it seemed like she’d left without saying a word. So why? Why was he still fond of her? Why didn’t L even bother to tell him about her? Didn’t he have a right to know? Did L really think so lowly of him?

His mind grew hazy with the realization that he depended on L more than L depended on him. It wasn’t fair that he had nowhere else to go, that in one swift moment, if L decided to cast him out, reveal all his faults, and take her back, he would be all alone again. L was the reason he even came to the guild in the first place. Chatot would’ve happily kicked him out if L said the word, seeing Light as nothing more than a violent heathen staining the good name of the guild. And between the two of them, Wigglytuff wouldn’t have a choice but to agree.

His thoughts were interrupted by Misa jumping up and checking her reflection in the window to make sure she looked ready to go. At least she was open with him; having her on the team ended up being one of the best decisions he and L agreed on. Turning on her heels, she approached the two, laying on her stomach with her paws propping her head up while kicking her feet slowly. “So, Ayaka, huh? Tell me more about that,” She cooed in a sing song tone like she was having a sleepover.

“What do you want to know?” L asked, more focused on digging through the treasure bag to pull out some gummis. It took a lot of resistance for Light not to pull it out of his reach.

“How long had she been gone for?”

L paused in between chewing and swallowed. “…A little over three months.”

Three months. At least that meant he wasn’t immediately replacing her, but it still didn’t soothe the thoughts coursing through his brain like a thunderstorm.

“Pretty interesting how she decided to come back after three months,” Light pointed out, maintaining a level voice. “What even happened that made her leave in the first place?”

“You were there, she said she had to figure some things out,” L replied, fiddling with the Relic Fragment in his right hand while the gummi remained half eaten in his left.

Tauros shit. Considering how awkward she was being… “It can’t just be that.”

L clenched his Relic Fragment in his claws. It was subtle, but it didn’t escape Light’s focused gaze. “Why not?” He asked, a sharp edge to his voice.

“There must be a reason why she needed to figure things out. Did she do something to get in trouble with the guild? It just seems like she’s up to something.”

“Whatever reasons she has are none of your concern. You’re overthinking this. Do you really believe that Wigglytuff would have allowed her back into the guild if she was up to something? No one would have reacted the way they did upon seeing her return if she got in trouble with the guild,” L retorted, Light opening his mouth to interject before harshly being shut down. “You’re saying this about someone who you’ve only just met. It’s as if you have a problem with her. If you’re not careful, you’ll be the one who gets in trouble, and you don’t want that, do you?”

Was that a threat!? He had to be considering ratting him out to Chatot for yesterday, Light just knew it. What else could it be!? Fists trembling, the urge to punch L right in the nose grew stronger.

Sensing the tension building, Misa pushed herself between the two. “It’s not like that, L. He’s just looking out for us is all,” She tried to reassure him. “But honestly, I don’t think there’s nothing to worry about Light. Would’ve been nice to know about her beforehand…” She squinted at L, though she didn’t seem offended. “But I for one would totally like to get to know her. Kouki and Mizu too!”

Just when he thought Misa was on his side, of course she would say something like that. Well, at least she still had his back somewhat, it was better than nothing. He didn’t really have anything against the two Ayaka brought along, aside from Kouki wanting to battle the moment they locked eyes. That was annoying.

Letting out a drawn-out sigh, Light held his hands up. “Fine,” He huffed. “Then how long were you teamed up before she left?”

“About four months,” L replied, taking a frustrated bite of the gummi, crumbs sprinkling into his bed.

Four months out of a whole year. Then that meant Task Force was formed about seven months ago. With the way L had defended her, he was expecting it to be longer than that. If she was still around those seven months, would they have even bothered inviting him to join the team?

“Then you must have more to say about her,” Misa interjected, more enthusiastic compared to Light. Or perhaps it was something she could gossip about with Chimecho and Sunflora later. They had been spending a lot of nights chatting after work the past week. “What’s she like?”

“She was both diligent and passionate about her guild work.” The response sounded so automatic.

Misa pouted. “Come on.”

“What?”

“That’s it?” She insisted, poking him in the arm. “You’re describing literally everyone in the guild! Are you at least glad she’s back?”

Drifting his gaze towards the window, L’s focus seemed to reach back to a time long gone. One that he was probably yearning for, the key resting in a room next to theirs. All he had to do was reach out for it. “…Yes, I am,” He whispered, a relieved smile bringing a warmth that radiated through the room.

Oppressive ticking pounded in Light’s ears, signaling that his time at the guild was running out.

Loudred’s voice echoed in the air, interrupting their talk and announcing to the other apprentices that it was time to wake up. Morning announcement would be starting soon. Without another word, they hurried out.

The atmosphere of the guild completely shifted. The morning sunlight was brighter than usual with the apprentices in higher spirits, like they were the ones who could control the sun. Or perhaps some omniscient being from above was observing them, choosing to grace them with a perfect, late spring morning. That might be a bit of a stretch. Still, he couldn’t ignore how relieved everyone else was from Ayaka returning to the guild.

It contradicted the way she carried herself as she and her teammates emerged from their room. Her shoulders bunched up while walking into the main hall and she avoided looking in their direction. She led Kouki and Mizu to the opposite of where they were sitting, waiting for Wigglytuff and Chatot to come out. Why bother even coming back if you’re just going to be distant? He thought, though, he was perfectly content with her staying as far away from them as possible.

Mizu and Kouki glanced over the sea of apprentices and waved at them, both of them in a better mood than she was. He waved back at them but didn’t do much else.

While waiting, Griffin hopped out and greeted them, striking a conversation with Chimecho. His wing was still wrapped up tightly, but that didn’t change the pep in his voice as he thanked her, also calling out to Task Force gratefully before hopping up the ladder.

From the same room he came from, Izzy bounded up to Task Force with a burst of energy, Ziggy tiredly following.

A ray of sunshine cut through the storm raging in Light’s mind, relieved that any signs of her illness were gone. She nearly barreled into L’s legs, skidding to a stop a few inches shy and stared up at him with wide, cheery, and admiring green eyes. “Good morning!” She greeted with a wag of her tail.”

“Good morning, Izzy. How are you feeling?” L greeted back.

Izzy jumped up excitedly. “I feel awesome! Does this mean I can play with the other kids today?” She rested her chin on her front paws, rear in the air and tail wagging while giving a pleading look.

“Only if Chimecho gives you the okay. Have you talked to her yet?” Light replied, ruffling Izzy’s fur playfully.

Ziggy nodded sleepily and replied, “She said to keep an eye on her, so she doesn’t push herself too hard.” He then faced Izzy a bit sternly. “If you feel sick again, you’ll tell me, right?”

The sternness didn’t faze her one bit, and it didn’t seem like she was completely listening. “Yup! Can we go now? Pleeeeease?”

“Wait until the guild announcements are over, and we’ll walk you there,” L replied, though he wasn’t completely focused on the conversation. His gaze was fixed on the doors to Wigglytuff’s chambers, noting that it was taking longer than usual for him to come out, and Chatot was in there with him. “Besides, we still need to introduce you to Kami and Leon.”

Izzy blinked, like she had completely forgotten, before it all came back to her and she sat up straight. “Oh yeah! I can’t wait! Do you think they’ll like me?”

“I don’t see why they wouldn’t,” L replied, which made the younger Zigzagoon squeal happily.

A creaking sound made everyone go silent, the doors to Wigglytuff’s chambers slowly opening, as he and Chatot appeared from inside. Wigglytuff was holding a note and examining it one last time. Chatot’s wing pressed to his temple, rubbing it around to soothe an oncoming headache.

Izzy reared up on her hind legs, calling out innocently, “Why did everyone stop tal—” Ziggy quietly shushed her and whispered for her to listen, which only made her more confused, sitting back down with her ears lifted.

Chatot scanned the room of silent apprentices and cleared his throat. “Everyone. We just received a report from Chief Soichiro that northeast of here, in a place called Treeshroud Forest, time has come to a complete stop.”

Light held his breath as a chorus of disbelieving gasps erupted from everyone.

“Stopped? Time isn’t moving at all?” Dugtrio was the first to ask.

“Yes, according to the report, there isn’t even a single breeze blowing through the forest.”

Sunflora stepped up. “But what about the Pokémon living there?”

Chatot sighed, exchanging a somber glance with Wigglytuff. “I’m afraid that they too have been frozen with the forest.”

“How long has Treeshroud Forest been frozen?” Mizu asked next, remaining calm among the chaos of everyone’s shock.

“We don’t know,” Chatot replied, tapping his talons as he continued, “The chief received the report overnight. One of the exploration teams was exploring the region and caught wind that something was wrong. That’s where they discovered time stopped in Treeshroud Forest. This was all recent, but it’s hard to say how long this has been going on.”

Time frozen… Light cupped his chin and scratched it. His mind trailed back to the conversation he had with L about time being thrown off balance. Could it have been so thrown off that time itself came to a standstill? Then he remembered the Time Gears, a source of time flowing through each region. A twisted feeling rose in Light’s core, his heart threatening to pound right out of his chest from a realization jabbing his brain. Could it be?

Izzy slowly raised her right paw. “Um… May I ask a question Mr. Chatot?” She asked, not flinching when everyone looked at her.

Chatot softened at the innocence of her voice. “Yes, of course, dear. What is it?”

Izzy lowered her paw, tilting her head in confusion. “I don’t get it.”

Chatot gave her an equally confused look. “Don’t get what?”

“How did time stop there? I don’t get how it happened. My mom told me about these things called Time Gears, and that they…” She paused to recall it. “Control time? I think that’s what she said. Does this mean the Time Gear is gone?”

Everyone went silent again. Light could sense it. They were all thinking the same thing he was. It was the only logical conclusion to a catastrophe like this happening. Time itself slowed, and Light wondered if it would freeze altogether while everyone anxiously waited for Chatot’s answer.

“Yes, that’s an excellent question, Izzy,” Chatot affirmed, before holding his head back up. “It’s true that Treehsroud Forest’s Time Gear has gone missing, or more accurately, it’s been stolen.”

Light’s fists trembled as everyone held their breath, letting the weight of the news sink in. He gritted his teeth. Not only were they dealing with a murderer, now there’s someone stealing Time Gears?

“Are you fucking serious!?” Ayaka’s voice rang out, her fur bristling and the heat surrounding her rising. Chatot glared at her for the language, but she ignored him. “Who in their right mind would steal a Time Gear!?”

“Obviously, they’re not in their right mind,” Kouki retorted, folding his arms and squeezing them.

“Who are they!? Do the police have any leads on who this Pokémon is!? Surely, they left some sort of hint!” Ayaka hissed, her tail lashing back and forth.

Loathed as he was to admit it in his head, Light couldn’t help but agree with her. “And what happens if they steal another Time Gear?” He added in a more composed but vigilant tone. “If they got away with this so easily, then it’s only a matter of time before it happens again.” Ayaka nodded appreciatively, but he turned away. She raised an eyebrow and drew her lip back. Around him, the shouts of their guildmates rose.

“YEAH! We can’t let them get away with this!”

“Hey hey! Where will they go now!?”

“What’ll happen if they steal another one!?”

Chatot held his wings up and squawked loudly. “QUIET!”

Everyone’s shouts quickly died down, though the tension was boiling.

Izzy had tucked her paws under herself, pressing against Ziggy with her ears flat against her head, trembling.

Chatot cleared his throat again. “I understand everyone’s anger and concern, but now isn’t the time to be panicking. The chief is investigating Treeshroud Forest as we speak and will inform us if anything comes up. What I ask of you all is to remain diligent in your jobs, and if you see anything suspicious, please report to either us or any of the police. Understood?”

Everyone quietly repeated understood, and he hummed approvingly.

“That is all I have to say, now it’s time to get to work.”

“Hurray!” Everyone tried to remain cheerful, but the mood was completely shattered. Wigglytuff gave them all a proud smile for managing what they could, though Light could also see there was a heavy weight in his round eyes. Something like this had never happened before, giving the guildmaster a lot to consider going forward. As everyone dispersed for the day, Team Task Force and Radiance lingered.

Light’s head reeled, making him brush a hand through his hair while attempting to piece everything together. Just the announcement alone was going to change how they would be proceeding in their jobs. No doubt the police would be stretched thin between investigating a murderer and the thief among all the other criminals. They were going to need some serious help, and fast. The other apprentices could handle apprehending the minor ones, but how long would it take before both investigations became too much?

Izzy turned to Misa shakily. “Did I make everyone angry?”

“No, sweetie,” Misa reassured. “It had nothing to do with you. Everyone is angry that a Time Gear was stolen and scared of it happening again.”

“That was my fault,” Ayaka confessed, walking up with her teammates awkwardly, with her ears lowered. “I wasn’t thinking that you were here and got everyone a little too fired up.”

Izzy stared at everyone wide-eyed, looking relieved that no one was mad at her and pushed herself up. “That’s okay.”

Ayaka smiled slightly, glancing to the side. “Oh, and uh… don’t repeat what I said.”

“Why?” Izzy asked curiously.

“One of the words is not a nice word.”

“Then why did you say it?”

Ayaka shut her mouth, taking a few seconds to think before she grinned, getting down on her front paws like she was about to pounce. “Because I’m a mean Fennekin,” She replied with a subtle growl in her voice, playfully baring her teeth.

Izzy squinted, flattening herself to the ground and taking the role of a detective in a crime scene. “No you’re nooooot,” She said in a sing song tone.

Ayaka blinked thoughtfully, tilting her head to the side. “How do you know?

Izzy sat on her hind legs and puffed her chest out. “That’s easy! You work at the guild, and they help Pokémon. Mean Pokémon wouldn’t work at the guild, duh!”

Rearing back on her hind legs, Ayaka’s eyes widened, and ears lifted, caught off guard. She stared at her paws, picking at the bandage around her left leg. “Guess I can’t argue with that.”

“So why did you say it then?”

“…It slipped out,” Ayaka confessed, lowering her ears.

Sure, it did, Light thought and rolled his eyes.

Izzy giggled. “Like this one time I called Ziggy a stinky head?”

“You liar! That didn’t slip out!” Ziggy yelled, puffing his cheeks.

Rolling on her back, she burst out laughing, pawing at her brother’s muzzle. “Yes it did!” She insisted, though it was evident from the mischievous glint in her eyes that it didn’t.

Ziggy gently cuffed her ear, which led to her playfully nipping at his paw. Grinning, he pounced on her and the two rolled around on the ground, playfully growling at each other. Chatot was observing the whole thing and sighed in exasperation.

As the two kids scuffled, Ayaka cleared her throat and muttered to L awkwardly, “We should probably get to work.”

Before L could reply, Izzy heard what she said and broke away from Ziggy. Her tail brushed his face as it wagged quickly while he huffed and backed away from it. “Where are you going?”

Ayaka looked like she wanted to leave but humored the kid. “Not sure yet, all we know is we’re going to rescue some Pokémon.”

Izzy’s eyes sparkled as she gasped in awe. “Like how Mr. Light, Mr. L, and Ms. Misa rescued me?”

Ayaka lifted her gaze towards L. “Yeah, exactly like that.”

“Whooooa! You’re so coooooooool!”

Ayaka’s ears lowered sheepishly, and she blushed. “Do you have any more questions?” She asked, shuffling her paws.

“Nope!”

“Alright, then… we’ll be going now,” Ayaka was about to turn and walk to the ladder when L placed a paw on her shoulder. She held her breath. “What is it?”

“I missed you,” L whispered into her ear, his voice barely audible to the others. A small smile lit up the antsy Fennekin’s face before she wordlessly stepped up the ladder, Mizu and Kouki lingering behind.

“Just give her time,” Mizu reassured softly, which made L give a hopeful smile.

“And if you guys wanna hang out a bit after we’re done with work, come find us,” Kouki added and held out his hand. “I’d love to get to know you all!”

“Uh… yeah, of course!” Misa declared.

L shook the Snivy’s hand. “We might just take you up on that,” He paused and whispered. “Thank you for looking after her.”

Kouki chuckled, leaning back on his heels with his arms behind his head while Mizu brushed against him affectionately. “No problem! She’s probably wondering why the heck we haven’t followed her yet.” Rolling his eyes in amusement, he waved at the team. “See y’all tonight!” As they waved back, the two quickly climbed up the ladder after their teammate, Kouki bowing for Mizu to go first like a gentleman.

Light huffed but elected to stay silent for the kids’ sake. He wasn’t particularly interested in hanging out with Team Radiance.

Chatot cleared his throat, flying over to the others and grabbing their attention. “Pardon the interruption, but there’s something I wish to discuss with you.”

“Yes?” L asked.

“The guildmaster and I have been diligently observing your progress, and I must say, both of us are thoroughly impressed thus far. Therefore, today, we will be assigning you to another exploration.”

Misa gasped, quietly repeating, “An exploration…”

Light raised an eyebrow. “What would we be doing?”

“Would you mind opening your map?” Chatot requested, to which Light grabbed their map from the treasure bag, unrolling and laying it on the floor. The flying type hovered over it, gesturing to a waterfall a short distance from the guild. “See this waterfall? From all angles, it seems to be an ordinary one, however, we believe there’s a secret behind it. Your assignment is to investigate it.”

Do they have time to investigate something that likely didn’t have a secret to it? Sounds like a waste of time, considering the chances of success were slim. But then he saw the way Misa reacted. Her chest puffed up with the deep, awed breath she took in, looking as light as a feather. Her brown eyes shimmered like the stars in a dark, night sky, ready to fly through the air and grant a watchful Pokémon’s wish. A bright, toothy grin enhanced them while she was unable to keep still and pressing her paws to each other. It sent a subtle chill down Light’s spine.

She grabbed Light’s arm and shook him gently. “Oh. My. Gosh. Can you believe it? Our first official exploration together! I mean, sure, there was Midnight Forest and all, but our first one as apprentices! What do you think we’ll discover? Maybe a new dungeon, or treasure, or both! AH! I’m soooooo excited!”

Normally, Light would tell her to calm down, but her excitement was far too contagious that he didn’t have it in him to quell it. After everything that’s happened so far, it was a breath of fresh air while also stirring a similar feeling in his own chest. This could be his chance. “Then wouldn’t it be a good idea to start preparing instead of just standing here?” He chuckled warmly when Misa enthusiastically agreed.

Chatot wished the team luck, and the three escorted Ziggy and Izzy to treasure town. On the way there, they noticed a set of staircases at the crossroads. That wasn’t there last night, right? Upon checking it out, they discovered that a café would be opening soon, which had L in particular interested.

They continued into town, watching Izzy bound around in zigzagging motions, greeting every Pokémon she met before jumping to the next one. Ziggy kept close to L, eyeing the townsfolk anxiously with his tail brushing the ground. The Sneasel carefully rubbed his back, a silent comfort that relaxed the black and white Zigzagoon.

Kami and Leon were hard at work discussing merchandise with their current customer, a Vigoroth. Leon grabbed a TM from the top shelf in exchange for what Light could tell was thousands of poké dollars. He hadn’t learned any new moves lately, so maybe investing in one would be beneficial… is what he would say if he could afford it. Ten percent of earnings wasn’t enough to cover luxuries like that. The brothers waved goodbye to Vigoroth and turned in their direction.

“Ah! Good morning to you all!” Kami greeted, he and Leon stepping out of the shop after filing their money away. They focused on the kids, both of them crouching down. “It’s good to see you, Ziggy, and oh!” Kami hummed, playfully acting as if he didn’t know who Izzy was. “This must be… Izzy, yes?”

Izzy giggled and puffed out her chest. “That’s me! Are you Mr. Kami and Mr. Leon?”

“Yes yes, we’ll be the ones taking care of you from now on,” Leon replied warmly, not missing the way she beamed up at him.

“Yay! Can I go play now?” Izzy jumped up and down, and Ziggy lightly nudged her, clearing his throat. She looked confused before gasping and bowing her head. “Thank you for taking care of us.”

Ziggy echoed her bow. “Thank you, we really appreciate it again.”

“Oh, there’s no need to be so formal, we’re happy to welcome you into our home,” Kami patted both of them on the head. “How are you feeling by the way, Ziggy?”

Ziggy blinked and shifted his paws, staring at the ground. “Well, I’m still very confused honestly. Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful you gave us a home, but…” He tried to find the words and sighed. “This is all so much, and I still want to know where our parents are.”

“Is there anything we can do to help you adjust?” Leon offered.

Ziggy shrugged. “I’m not sure yet.”

“Well, you can come to us if you need anything, would you like us to show you around?”

Ziggy nodded slowly, a shy smile creeping up on his face.

“Excellent, then come inside, we have your beds set up already! Kami, would you mind taking care of Team Task Force real quick?”

Kami nodded, stepping back into the shop and behind the counter while Leon shuffled with the kids further in. The purple Kecleon nearly tripped as Izzy wriggled past him excitedly, in awe of all the merchandise inside, while Ziggy apologized quietly. As the team bought the supplies they needed, the sound of Izzy’s excited scrambling through each nook and cranny of the shop amused them.

After a moment, Ziggy walked up to the counter, standing on his hind legs and placing his front paws and chin on the wood surface. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

“Yes, could you please grab two apples, three oran berries, and an escape orb from the shelves,” Kami gestured to the shelves of merchandise. “The escape orb is going to be the black one with the blue and white glowing center. They’ll all be on the lower shelves.”

Ziggy nodded, grabbing a sack from under the counter and shuffling to them. He opened it and let it lay flat while carefully nudging the berries and apples into it. Searching through the orbs, he let out a small ah once he spotted the escape orb. Being extra careful, he rolled it across the shelf and let it fall in. His teeth clenched the opening, dragging it over to Kami with his eyes closed and chest puffed out pridefully.

Kami took the bag from Ziggy, heaving it onto the counter and sliding it over to Light, who gave him the money in exchange. “That’s perfect, thank you Ziggy,” Kami praised, smiling warmly at the young boy.

Ziggy held his head up high, standing by the counter and ready for the next customer. In the distance he could see Azurill and Marill coming into view from his left. “Is that them?” He asked, tilting his head to the side while looking at Light.

Light followed where Ziggy’s initial gaze was, noticing the two young boys. “Yeah.” He and L waved at the two, who noticed them and came running up excitedly.

“Good morning Mr. Light and Mr. L!” Marill greeted and then turned towards Kami. “And you too Mr. Kami!” He blinked, realizing he didn’t recognize Ziggy or Misa. “Who are you guys?”

Ziggy leaned over, trying to get a better view. “I’m Ziggy, my sister Izzy and I are new around here. Mr. Kami and Mr. Leon took us in,” He flicked his tail. “It’s nice to meet you.”

Misa reached out her paw. “And my name is Misa, I recently join Light and L’s team,” She greeted, shaking Marill’s hand. “You must be Marill and Azurill. Light mentioned you yesterday, how do you know each other?”

Azurill’s eyes sparkled as he bounced on his tail. “They rescued me from a mean Drowzee! You should have seen them; they were so cool!”

Light’s ears lowered slightly at the mention of Drowzee, feeling the guilt trying to resurface, the vision of the criminal’s broken body transforming into Ziggy’s terrified face as he tried to run. He hid a shiver and smiled at them. “How have you been doing since then, Azurill? Do you need anything from us?”

“I’m doing great, thank you! And our mama is feeling better too, so we can go out and play more!”

At the sound of the word play, Izzy barreled out of the shop, stopping in front of the boys with her tail wagging rapidly. “Hi! I’m Izzy! Can I play with you?”

Marill was caught off guard by the excitable Zigzagoon but giggled with Azurill once he realized she was friendly. “Yeah, I’m Marill and this is Azurill! What do you wanna play?”

Izzy pondered the thought, staring at the white clouds rolling by and humming. “Hide and seek?” When they both nodded, she jumped up. “Okay! I’ll count and you hide!” She closed her eyes, and the boys took off running. “One… Two… Three…”

The others laughed warmly, and Light took their newly bought items, dropping them into the treasure bag. The team exchanged a farewell with Kami, Leon, and Ziggy, and started making their way to the waterfall. Determination made Light’s will burn brightly, as he told himself he would prove to L he was not just a replacement.

~~~~~~

The sound of rushing water pounded in Light’s ears as they approached the edge of a dusty brown, rocky plateau. In front of them, the waterfall crashed into the crystal blue water without any mercy. Around them grew small verdant green trees from the rock walls that stood to the left and right of the falls. The sheer majesty and power sent a shiver down Light’s spine.

“This is it, huh? Where do you think we should start first?” Misa asked, approaching the falls and reaching out to touch the water. She let out a yelp as the force sent her flying on her back, eyes wide in shock and ears standing straight up.

Light nudged his paws under her back, sitting her up and making sure she was stabilized. “Are you okay?” When Misa nodded dazedly, they both approached the falls, feeling the force inches away from their faces. Looking to the left and right, neither could see anything that led to a secret. No openings, no rocks out of place, nothing. An idea popped in his head, a stupid one, as he reached out and touched the falls, also being sent flying on his back, a dull pain searing through his back, and he winced.

L stepped over him, blocking out the sunlight and raising a brow. “Now what made you think that anything different was going to happen when you touched it?”

“Just help me up,” Light hissed, reaching both arms out, his teammates each grabbing a hand and pulling him back on his feet. His cheeks burned from embarrassment. Asshole…

“Hmm… I don’t see anything yet, maybe if we look at a different angle?” Misa suggested, walking towards the nearest tree and springing into the leaves. Her head popped out while her paws gently grazed each rock that suggested it was out of place. Meanwhile, L was scanning the falls up and down, eyes squinted, and chewing on his claw in deep thought while keeping a reasonable distance.

Light folded his arms, staring at the falls and waiting for something to happen. Come on… A dizziness shot through his head, the same one from the day they fought Drowzee, and he swayed, his eyes turning blue. Out of the corner of his eye, L noticed his dizziness and hurried over to hold him steady. That was the last thing he saw before his vision went black and the beam of light soared through before enveloping him.

He was still at the falls, L and Misa no longer in sight, but there was something else. A silhouette in the shape of someone familiar. Long ears, round body, and billowing cape. He tried reaching out to it, but his hand phased through, a small gasp escaping his lips. The figure walked through him, backing up and staring down the waterfall like it was its greatest enemy. Steeling itself, it charged forward, diving through the falls, and Light felt himself being pulled with the figure. It stumbled into a cave, shaking the water from its body and looking around. Light watched as it headed further in, feeling the vision waver and fade until he was back in the real world.

He blinked, realizing that Misa was at his side now, calling for him worriedly. Her voice echoed in his ears as he stared at the waterfall dazedly. Who was that? And how did they know to jump through the falls? Does this mean there’s a cave on the other side? There’s gotta be, right? My last two visions were correct so this one shouldn’t be any different. But if I tell L and Misa, they’ll think I’m crazy and trying to get us killed. I don’t see any other way though…

“Light!” Misa yelled, waving her hand in front of his eyes.

“Huh? Oh, sorry,” Light apologized. “I figured it out. We should jump through the falls.” He winced at how he made it sound like common sense, bracing himself for the response. This was stupid. He knew it was stupid. Why would anyone want to try something as risky as this? If his visions hadn’t been correct already, he would’ve written it off as him being delirious from the impact. But deep in his heart, he mostly believed in this one. Mostly.

Misa’s jaw dropped, completely dumbfounded. “Did you hit your head a little too hard? That’s insane!”

L squinted at Light, piecing everything together. “You had another vision.”

Light folded his arms, tapping his fingers. “I saw someone jumping through the falls, and there was a cave on the other side. If there really is a secret to this place, then that’s how we’re going to uncover it.”

“But you do realize what you’re suggesting, yes?” L asked, not too thrilled with the idea. “If we jump through and hit a wall, there’s no way we’ll be able to escape. We’ll either be pounded to death or drown in minutes, whichever one comes first. How certain are you that this vision is true?”

“About ninety five percent certain,” Light replied. “It was right last time.”

“But last time was completely different, it didn’t involve staking our lives in this manner. If we decide to go through with your plan, there’s no going back. Are you prepared to commit to this?”

“I am.” There was no hesitation in Light’s voice as he held a confident gaze with L’s wary one. The storm began raging again. Of course he would be questioning Light now, even though he was the one who experienced firsthand that they were true. The Sneasel had to be thinking Light was planning to kill him by doing this. Acting as if he was going to jump before stopping and—

“Alright, I trust you,” L’s voice suddenly pulled him back in.

“What?”

L gazed up at the rushing falls, biting at his claw. “Under normal circumstances, doing this would be idiotic, but I don’t have a good reason not to believe after last time,” He replied, waiting for the dumbfounded Riolu to say something before realizing he was rendered speechless. “But, if we’re going to do this, then we need to with no hesitation. Otherwise, we’re going to get stopped mid jump and then for sure die.”

A cool, gentle breeze combatted with the storm, attempting to snuff out any doubts that Light had about his place on the team. And for a moment, it worked as he flashed L a quick grateful smile before awaiting an answer from Misa.

Misa held up her paws. “Hold on, I’m still confused here. Since when were you able to have visions?”

“They were how we were able to rescue Azurill as quickly as we did,” Light replied. “I know it sounds crazy, Misa, but there has to be a cave on the other side.”

Misa let out a drawn-out groan.

“You don’t have to jump if you don’t want to.”

Misa sighed and let out a breathy chuckle after what seemed like forever. “Screw it, I trust you too,” She replied. “But if we die, I’m going to kick you.”

“We’re not going to die,” Light reassured, and the three backed away from the waterfall, their nerves heightening. He swallowed sharply and closed his eyes, feeling his palms shake as they all braced themselves.

“Okay… three… two… one… GO!!!” On Light’s call, they all charged at full speed, taking the leap of faith and diving through the falls. Roaring water overwhelmed Light’s senses, his body throbbing as he was relentlessly battered before it all faded. Tumbling forward, he hit solid ground and landed on his back, aching all over.

Misa groaned, her fur soaked and hair clinging to her body as she sat up with a palm pressed to her forehead. “Did… Did we make it?”

L was lying on his stomach with his arms and legs splayed out, hair completely drenched and covering his eyes. “Well, we seem to be alive, so I’d say there’s a good chance we did,” He replied with a hint of sarcasm.

Rolling his eyes, Light stood up, shaking the water from his fur and hair before checking out his surroundings. They were standing in front of an entrance to the same cave he saw in his vision, blue-gray stalactites jutting from the roof. Around them were thick, uneven pillars of rock stacked close to each other, and pools of crystal-clear water from the left and right. The sound of water from the falls echoed through the cave with droplets trickling down from the stalactites. He took a deep breath in awe. “Amazing…”

“Huh? Whoa…” Misa’s eyes lit up, spinning around to catch every sight of the cave, before she smiled and laughed. “Light, this is incredible! Your vision really was true!”

Light felt his heart skip a beat, warmth rising in his cheeks, and he winked at her. “Told you so,” He joked and stepped over to L, who hadn’t moved a muscle, and leaned over him, smirking. “Are you planning on getting up any time soon?”

“It’s actually quite comfortable here, you might have to carry me through the dungeon,” L mumbled sarcastically, his face pressed against the wet ground. He lifted his head, eyes half lidded. “Considering this was your idea, and I trusted you, I assume you’re willing to bear that responsibility?”

Letting out a lighthearted laugh, Light offered the Sneasel a hand. “As long as you’re not complaining the entire time,” He teased, pulling L up, his legs wobbly from the impact of the falls.

“You’re just talking about yourself,” L teased back with a sly grin.

Nudging him, Light could feel the claws in his chest uncurling, as the tease did wonders to overcome the storm.

“Yeah yeah, you can talk about who’s the bigger complainer later!” Misa called impatiently, hooking her arms around theirs and yanking them through the entrance of the cave, neither of them protesting.

The blue-gray cave walls shimmered from the water dripping down, while the terracotta earth was soft and damp beneath their feet. Wild Lotad were dozing lazily in the pools, some of them completely submerged aside for their lily pads. The smell of fresh water filled the area, soothing the team’s frazzled nerves.

The trek through the cave was surprisingly relaxing, giving everyone the chance to take their minds off Decidueye in favor of searching for what secrets rested in this cave. Any wild Pokémon that tried to attack them was easily subdued, and there weren’t any signs of criminals hidden deep within. Any fears and doubts that were plaguing his mind were slowly being replaced with the wonder of this place.

Misa proudly took the lead while checking every single nook and cranny of each corridor before moving onto the next. She looked in her element here, with the sharp eyes of a true explorer, passionate about the prospect of discovery, which Light found respectable with how it mirrored his own. No, it was more than respectable, this was admiration that had him longing to do more explorations with her. Maybe they could after taking care of Decidueye.

Misa noticed something in the distance and ran back to Light and L, pulling them over to see. Between the stalactites and stone pillars, he could see a group of Wooper playing in the water. One of them spewed out a Water Gun, playfully knocking their friend off from a stepping stone with a splash. The one who fell leapt from underneath and splashed at the others with their tail, churring as they splashed back.

All three of them laughed, alerting the Wooper, who blinked at them without a single thought in their head. One managed to craft a mischievous idea together, gathering its buddies to open their mouths and send a combined Water Gun towards the group, making them duck out of the way and run off. As best as their efforts to escape were, they ended up each catching a stray splash, reversing whatever effect time had on their drying hair and fur. None of them were bothered, something like this should be expected, and didn’t come close to the thrill of defying death the way they did.

Further along, Light noticed the terrain was beginning to shift, gemstones sticking out from the ground in a variety of colors.

L observed the way they shined thoughtfully; lips parted with a sense of awe that he didn’t usually show as he tested the possibility of prying one from the wall. It was lodged in tightly, and he huffed, continuing on. They became more frequent as they squeezed through another corridor, poking out from the roof and walls.

Misa jumped ahead, reaching a dead end that was filled with a plethora of shimmering gemstones, making the damp walls reflect their brilliant colors in a harmonious blend of pure beauty. The water surrounding them glimmered as it rippled along the ground slowly. If there was a single word Light could think of to describe the scene, it would be wonderous.

Following Misa in, he saw what had her attention, a gigantic magenta gem sticking up from the ground. Sunlight poured in from an opening in the roof, creating a dazzling display of magenta rays that bounced off the walls and blended with the hues of the smaller gems. She was checking it out from multiple angles, lightly poking it and estimating how far it was embedded into the earth.

“Help me pull this out. Chatot is going to freak out if he sees that we brought this back.” She wrapped her arms around it as best as she could and began pulling, grunting when it didn’t budge. Light and L each grabbed it and began pulling with her, completely out of sync.

“Hold on,” Misa called, waiting for them to stop. “Ready? One, two, THREE!”

The trio grunted loudly, gritting their teeth and straining their muscles while the gemstone didn’t move a single inch. They gasped for breath, loosening their grip on it.

“Damn… this thing is lodged in tight…”

“Tell me about it,” Light huffed, folding his arms and watching as Misa took another crack at pulling it. There must be some way to get it out, but what? The dizziness surged through his head, and he winced, eyes turning blue as he clenched his head. The same darkness filled his vision. The same beam of light revealing everything to him.

The same silhouette was walking towards the gem, in the same wonder that they shared. However, instead of pulling the gem, this figure pushed it, a click echoing around the cave, before the ground shook. Water rushed through the cave, sweeping the figure away with no mercy and the vision faded. Light blinked, trying to regain his bearings, before he gasped.

“What if we try this,” L suggested, as he and Misa pushed the gemstone.

“WAIT! NO—!”

Click.

Oh shit.

The ground rumbled around them, a few stalactites breaking and crashing into the water, disturbing the tranquility of the area. Light rushed to them, grabbing their hands and breaking off into a sprint. His heart raced as the rumbling grew more aggressive, and the raging torrent of a flood came bursting forth. They just had to reach the corridor again. Misa screamed while L’s eyes were blown wide in terror, both picking up their pace. The water rushed through the cave at blinding speed, the unforgiving roar pounding in Light’s ears as he squeezed his eyes shut.

Nononononononono!

Waves crashed into Light’s body, knocking his breath out, as he frantically held onto Misa and L for dear life. His grip was slipping, the water rearing up and pummeling at the trio, pulling them down. His lungs begged for air desperately.

Wait, stay with me! Just hold on a little bit longer! We’re almost there! Please!

His eyes strained to open, voices whirling in his head, desperately screaming at him to not lose them. He couldn’t tell if they were even his own. Another wave crashed down, and Light screamed as he lost his grip with Misa and L before clenching his mouth shut, his throat burning. He frantically swam for them, each struggle against the current making his muscles beg for him to stop. As his strength began faltering, his arms grew more sluggish by the second, as hazy visions flashed in his head.

A young human was sitting at a desk, brown hair like his, wearing a tan suit, white undershirt, and red tie. His brown eyes were glazed with boredom while a hand rested on his chin as he stared outside. The humans around him blurred and the vision shifted to a black notebook falling from the sky. The same young human was now outside, picking up the notebook. Words were scribbled on the cover too blurry for Light to make out.

The vision jolted to the same human in a bedroom, alone, admiring the notebook. Something was scribbled into it, once again Light couldn’t see what it was. Lightning flashed, making the human jerk around to reveal a strange black and white creature, too hazy to decipher, but the twisted grin seared into his brain.

Lightning flashed again. Thunder boomed. Screams pierced his head. Waves crashing. Storms raging.

Please hold on! Please hol—!

L…Misa…

Light felt his limbs grow limp, as the roaring in his ears died down to a serene quiet, the only noise echoing around him being the ticking. The past week and a half replayed over and over. Waking up on that beach. Being welcomed into the guild by L and the rest of his friends. The night the two spent together after fighting Drowzee. L’s kindness towards him and his words of encouragement. Entrusting Light with how he first came to the guild. The glow in his eyes when he and Misa agreed to help him pursue Decidueye.

Why hadn’t he considered all of that? What was he thinking? All that plagued his weary mind was how much of an asshole he was this morning. Get rid of him? No, L would never do that. If he really wanted Light gone, he would’ve been gone a long time ago. And not only that, Ayaka had her own team now. She didn’t seem like she would just abandon them. What an idiot he was, getting worked up over someone he just met. Someone who, if he’d just given her a chance, could have been a good friend.

But now he wasn’t going to get that chance. The flood had already claimed him, and now he was forced to drift further into the depths, his lungs losing the capacity to breathe. His vision blurred as everything around him slowly faded to black.

Chapter Text

The distant sound of flowing, calm water echoed through the stream of Light’s consciousness, accompanied by warmth weaving through his body. With the darkness all around him, it was as if he were drifting in air, being carried away to whatever fate had planned for him. But then something pounded his chest, and he let out a retching cough from water being forced out his throat, gasping desperately for breath. A ray of light pulled him back to reality, and he groaned, slowly opening his eyes. Someone was standing over him, their silhouette darkened by the ring of sunlight outlining them, though he could make out they were small and bear shaped. They stepped back, the returning sunlight nearly blinding Light as he rubbed his eyes and forehead. His muscles flared when he forced himself to sit up and gather his bearings.

He was resting on light-brown, smooth rocks encircling a pool of hot, steamy water that the blurry shapes of other Pokémon rested in. At the back were small steps that led up to a smooth platform where an elderly, orange turtle was resting, watching with concern. Behind him was a small, inactive geyser, with a hint of steam spilling out. Despite the thick steam, Light realized just how easy it was to breathe in here, clearing his lungs from the harsh onslaught he endured.

“Thank goodness you’re awake! How are you feeling?” The bear asked, stepping closer to him with a light brown paw over her cream-colored muzzle.

That was a loaded question. How was he feeling? His mind felt dazed, not fully awake nor able to process everything. His soaked hair clung to his head, dripping with cold water. Every movement sent a ripple that made his body twinge while the foggy visions lingered, leaving him questioning if they really happened.

Wait.

His brain kicked into overdrive as he sprung to his feet, wincing at a sharp pain in his side, and jerked his head around frantically. His heart nearly stopped when he saw Misa and L lying on the stone, still unconscious, both receiving chest compressions from a larger brown bear and the same Vigoroth he saw in town. Panic swarmed his mind, and he flung himself to their side. Were they dead? They can’t be dead. Please, Please, Please.

Sputtering out water, L’s eyes blew wide open while his body shot up reflexively. His claws nearly dug into his heart with each rapid breath he took. Then they darted around his chest frantically before finding the Relic Fragment and clinging to it. He stared at Light, his breathing slowing and becoming heavier.

“It’s okay. We’re okay,” Light soothed, holding L’s shoulders gently.

L blinked slowly, like he didn’t register it, but then wrapped his lithe arms around Light’s chest, pulling him in for a tight hug and shaking uncontrollably. His claws dug into Light’s back, the faint sound of whimpering spilling out, and the Riolu’s composure began breaking down little by little.

The two whipped around as Misa’s coughing grabbed their attention, and she slowly sat up, brushing away the water dripping from her hair. She met their gazes, inching closer to them and held out her hand, silently questioning if they were really there.

Without a moment of hesitation, Light pulled her into the hug, trembling and afraid to ever let them go again. Misa instantly hugged them back, sobbing loudly into his shoulders while L burrowed his face into his hair. A few tears rolled down Light’s cheeks while he let out a shaky, almost sobbing breath.

They’re alive. They’re actually alive. How in the hell did they survive this? What happened? How did they get here? …What if they really weren’t alive and this was some relaxing afterlife they found themselves in!? But then he wouldn’t have felt the intense burning pain through his muscles if he was dead. Nothing made sense, and he couldn’t even begin to comfort himself as the sound of water sent visions of the horrific flood flashing by.

The Pokémon in his visions, the one who revealed to him the secret of the falls. He didn’t want to believe it, but he knew that shape very well. Why? Did he know about this? Maybe this was a vision of the future, and he wanted to see it for himself after hearing about the secret. But what if he already knew? He wouldn’t do that, right? He wouldn’t send them somewhere harboring such a life-threatening trap. That’s not like him at all. But if it was a vision of the future, he had to warn him not to go there ever. They were lucky to be alive, but what if he wasn’t and succumbed to the fate that should have been theirs?

And what about those other visions? They weren’t anything like the usual ones. What did they mean? Who was that human? Was that him? And what about that notebook, and that creature he saw? His mind raced like a Jolteon charging through a field, gradually accelerating with no way of stopping.

Breathe… just breathe… His head dropped on L and Misa’s shoulders, focusing on taking more oxygen into his lungs. One… two… three… inhale… one… two… three… exhale… Each breath was more sacred than the last, like an oasis hidden deep in an intense, arid desert. One after the other and deeper each time, like it would be the last he would ever take. The haze began clearing while the strength to hold himself up faltered, letting himself be embraced by them. He had to look so damn pathetic.

This morning’s events replayed in his mind once again, guilt overflowing him, and he searched for the strength to speak. “L… about earlier, I—”

“I don’t care about that right now,” L interrupted, his voice still shaky as he squeezed both Light and Misa tighter and sniffled. “You’re more important to me than some petty argument.”

His vision grew mistier as more tears rolled down his cheeks, letting out a loud wail and crying on their shoulders. It felt so freeing letting everything out, and there wasn’t another moment where he was so happy to be alive. Misa’s paw brushed through his hair, and he breathed out a shaky sigh.

After a few more comforting minutes, the three pulled away from each other, Light giving his teammates a weak smile before looking around again. Aside from the turtle, the bears, and Vigoroth, there was another Pokémon that looked like a mixture of a pig and a monkey staring at them and waiting for the right moment to speak up.

Vigoroth was the one to step up and break the ice as he rubbed the back of his head. “Yo, sorry to interrupt you three, but uh… we were trying to figure out who you were and kinda looked through your things,” He paused and chuckled sheepishly. “We saw your badges and sent my buddy, Primeape, to the guild to let your guildmaster know what happened.”

“Oh…” L whispered, his voice straining. “Yes, that’s very appreciated, thank you.” He tried to push himself up, but his legs trembled, and he winced in pain before falling back, Light and Misa catching him. He groaned in frustration and mumbled a curse under his breath. 

The elderly turtle walked to the edge of the steps, wading through the spring very slowly to meet them. “Now youngster, no need to push yourself like that, just rest until they arrive,” He said in a kind voice like a grandfather to his grandchildren. “You’re welcome to rest your muscles in this here hot spring.”

A shiver ran down Light’s spine, the calm rippling water more terrifying than anything he’d seen so far. Fear that if he placed even a single paw in the spring, the water would burst forth and swallow him whole made him inch away slowly. “N-No thank you.” No one else took the offer.

“Who are you by the way?” Misa asked, taking handfuls of her hair and wringing the water out. “And how did we even get here?”

“My name is Torkoal,” He bowed his head before tilting it upward. “You three just suddenly fell out of the sky and scared the living daylights out of us. We were afraid you were dead, but thanks to Ursaring’s quick thinking, he saved your lives.”

Misa turned to the larger bear named Ursaring and waved at him. “Thank you so much.”

Light pulled out the wonder map, feeling how soaked it was, and handled it carefully. Despite his best efforts, a corner of it tore off and plopped on the rock. As he set it down, he squinted, questioning if his vision was still foggy or if the landmarks were smeared from being wet. He managed to locate the cave and dragged his paw along the paper to find where they were, surprised at spotting the hot spring, a decent way east and a little south, and gestured it to L and Misa. “To think the water carried us all the way over here…”

L tapped his claw on it. “Perhaps there was an opening in the cave like the geysers here that forced us out?”

“That had to be it…” Light huffed, the adrenaline wearing off and he slouched down.

Misa scooted closer to him, offering her shoulder to lean on, which he graciously accepted, closing his eyes. 

Voices emerged from over the hill, most of them familiar as Wigglytuff, Chatot and Chimecho hurried over, being led by a larger pig-monkey Pokémon who must’ve been Primeape. He noticed that Team Radiance were hot on their trail, Mizu carrying something that he couldn’t make out.

“Everyone clear away; I need to examine them!” Chimecho shouted, Torkoal, Ursaring and the rest of the Pokemon backing up into the spring. Psychic energy began radiating from her body, beady eyes glowing light blue, as she emitted a high frequency chiming sound and hovered between them.

L tensed up as she approached him, gritting his teeth when the ringing grew louder. His claws dug into his knees, like he was resisting swiping at her to go away and relaxed once it quieted down, and she murmured an apology.

Wigglytuff hopped up to them, speaking frantically. “We came as soon as we heard! Are you three okay!? I’m so sorry this happened, I didn’t mean for you to get hurt!”

Light’s heart skipped a beat and the world around him froze. Did that mean…? 

“Take it easy, you’re only going to make it worse,” Chimecho scolded lightly and Wigglytuff immediately shut up.

Mizu approached her with some blankets on her back, carefully pulling them off. “What can I do to help?”

“We need to get them dried off; everyone grab a blanket and help me out,” Chimecho ordered with a flick of her tail.

Kouki took one from Mizu and hurried over to Light’s side, rubbing it against his back. He was being a tad rough with drying the Riolu off, but he was too tired and focused on Wigglytuff’s words to tell him.

“What happened to you guys?”

“We… got swept away in a flood…” Misa replied tiredly and shivered. She smiled gratefully at Mizu when she wrapped the blanket around her, gently rubbing her arms.

“Oh goodness me! Thank Arceus you’re safe then!” Chatot squawked loudly.

Light clenched his fists. Did Chatot know too?

L glanced up at Ayaka, who was dragging another blanket in her mouth over to him. “You’re here,” He whispered and huffed when she tossed it over him.

Breathing out hot air on her paws, she rubbed them together before helping him dry off. “Of course I’m here, you dumbass,” She hissed worriedly, though there was warmth hidden underneath it. “Did you think I would just ignore you the moment I found out?”

L smiled weakly and leaned back against her, closing his eyes as she did her thing. He winced when she pressed a little too hard into his arm.

Ayaka eased up immediately. “Sorry.”

“No worries,” L whispered.

The psychic energy around Chimecho faded, and she hummed. “From what I can tell, all three of you have been put through tremendous strain,” She explained. “You’ll need to take it easy for at least a week before going out on jobs again. I also want to make sure you don’t catch any illnesses.”

“That’s fine by me,” Misa sighed, pulling her blanket closer, though L seemed far from pleased with this arrangement as he growled quietly.

A week!? So, they won’t be able to continue their investigation for that long!? What if they miss something important or they can’t save someone from getting killed by Decidueye!? Light gritted his teeth and stared at Wigglytuff, trying to keep himself from snapping. “Guildmaster… you knew about the cave, didn’t you?”

“Huh?” Wigglytuff gasped, taken aback. 

“Did you know about the trap there?” Light repeated, his palms shaking. Please say it isn’t true. Please deny that you didn’t know. Please say it’s just a coincidence or that it hasn’t happened yet. 

Wigglytuff’s worry dropped into remorse, as he stared at the ground, rubbing his arm. “Yes, I did know about Waterfall Cave… and the trap.”

“What!?” Misa gasped, shooting up but immediately collapsed again, dropping her blanket. “You mean we went through all of that for nothing!? Why would you send us there if you knew!?”

“Guildmaster, doing something like this isn’t like you,” L added, furrowing his brow as a hint of anger bubbled up to the surface. “You’re usually better about where you send teams. Why was now any different?”

“Well, I figured it was an interesting place, and I just knew you would be the ones to uncover its secret,” Wigglytuff stammered. “And with everything going on with Decidueye, I figured it would have been a nice break from—”

“WE NEARLY DIED!!!” Light shouted, forcing himself to stand up, his fury fueling him. “And you’re saying that it’s all for fun!?”

“Now you listen he—!” Chatot squalled, but Wigglytuff stopped him and shook his head, allowing Light to continue. 

“Do you have any idea what you’ve done by sending us there!? You’ve hindered our investigation and now Decidueye is going to keep getting away with killing more innocents!” He shouted, waving his arms angrily. “There’s already enough going on as is! You should’ve known better! What would you…  have done if we did die…!? I… I…” 

He paused and gasped, his vision becoming foggier once again. The heat was so overwhelming, his skin burning like it would burst into flames, and he couldn’t think properly. “I… trusted… yooooou…” He fell forward, a chorus of gasps filling his ears as everyone crowded around him, desperately calling his name. 

He could hear Chimecho ordering them to take him back to the guild. Misa and L begging for him to hang in there, and Wigglytuff carefully scooped him up, the last thing he heard being I won’t make that mistake again before blacking out.

~~~~~~

…

Urgh…

What… happened…?

Light’s eyes fluttered open, greeted by the vines stretching across the ceiling of his room. There were still traces of pain in his muscles, but nothing like when he woke up at the hot spring. He tried piecing together everything, barely remembering the last thing that happened before passing out. 

“Hey, welcome back.”

Light sat up and twisted around, seeing Ayaka lying on the floor, paws tucked under her body and watching him closely. “What are you doing here?”

Ayaka shrugged. “Figured I’d look after you guys while Chimecho gets some medicine together, she’d been hard at work taking care of all three of you.”

All three of us? He noticed Misa and L were fast asleep in their beds. “How long have we been out?”

“Ehhhh… it’s been about four days now.” Ayaka tilted her right paw with a shrug. “You passed out at the springs and then as soon as L and Misa were brought here, they passed out too. I’m not surprised, you all looked like hell when we got there.”

Light scoffed. “What did you expect to see? Us looking our very best?”

Ayaka rolled her eyes. “No of course not, it was just an observation,” She retorted and asked in a more casual tone. “Are you hungry? Kouki and Mizu took over mess hall duties for Chimecho, and they should have dinner ready soon.”

“They cook?”

“Yeah, and they’re crazy good at it too,” Ayaka replied, puffing out her chest like it was her own accomplishment when it was really pride for her friends. “I think they’re preparing this apple dish that’s glazed with honey, you have to try it, it’s amazing.”

Light stomach rumbled, and he blushed while rubbing it. That did sound amazing right about now. A subtle pain made him wince, grateful to L for coaxing him to eat that evening after fighting Drowzee. “I am pretty hungry.”

“I’d say so,” Ayaka huffed and shook her head. “Let me go grab a plate for you, I’ll be right back.”

Before he could respond, she hurried out of the room, leaving him alone with his thoughts. He didn’t expect her to be the first Pokémon to wake up to. Chimecho, Wigglytuff, or Chatot? Definitely. But not Ayaka. 

Though she also probably wasn’t expecting him to be the first to wake up either. He glanced at L, relieved to see him and Misa both sleeping soundly. The Sneasel must’ve really needed it, and he wasn’t about to wake him up. 

A sweet scent filled his nostrils as Ayaka slowly padded back in, miraculously carrying one plate on her head, one in her mouth, and two on her back. He quickly took the one from her mouth before helping set the rest down. 

“Dinner is served.” Ayaka swept her paws over the plates with a dramatic bow. 

“Dinner almost ended up on the floor,” Light retorted.

“But it didn’t.”

“Couldn’t someone else have helped you carry that in?”

“They could’ve, but everyone was busy, and I didn’t wanna bother them,” Ayaka purred. “I had it taken care of.”

Light’s jaw dropped, and he blinked a few times. The first thing that went through his mind was this Fennekin is crazy. So, she’d rather risk making a mess than getting help? Wow. 

“Are you just gonna sit there looking like Loudred, or are you gonna eat?” Ayaka remarked, pointing to his food.

Well alright then. Light couldn’t make heads or tails of Ayaka. In some ways, her way of talking reminded him of L, but with even less of a filter, and more casual. It began to make sense why they became partners, and he wondered who drove the other crazy first back then. 

However, she did have a point, he couldn’t just let his food sit there when he was starving. Especially not when the delightful smell of apples and honey were making his mouth water, and he did not want anyone to see him doing that.

The plate was completely loaded with diced apples, cooked to a golden brown with honey coating it that made it shimmer in the setting sunlight. And was that cinnamon sprinkled in as well? Light was surprised the smell alone didn’t wake L up. He must be really out of it. 

Not waiting any longer, Light took a few pieces and popped them in his mouth. The apples practically melted as he easily chewed through them from how soft they were. And the taste. He questioned again if he was really alive because they tasted like heaven, blending in harmonious sweetness that would bring anyone to tears. 

“So, how is it?” Ayaka asked, her tail wagging as she waited expectantly. 

“…I agree with Chimecho, they should take over,” Light whispered before asking. “Speaking of which, are they…?”

“Completely head over heels.”

“That makes sense,” Light replied, before eating the rest of the dish ravenously.

Ayaka stifled a laugh, starting to eat her own food and hummed at the taste with her eyes closed. She pushed her plate aside once finished and leaned closer, her tone becoming serious. “So, why’d you brush me off the way you did the other day?”

Oh right, he did do that. In all the chaos, he’d completely forgotten. What was he supposed to tell her? He couldn’t just say he was being distant because he thought L was going to take her back and kick him out. Before, he thought she would hate him for it, but now he was more afraid she would make fun of him instead, and that sounded much worse. He kept a straight face and shrugged. “I didn’t sleep well the night before and was having a bad morning.”

“I see,” She muttered, raising an eyebrow as the tip of her tail flicked, and Light began worrying that she could read him like L could. But then he relaxed when she seemed to accept his answer with a shrug and moved on. “And aside from Kouki and Mizu, you’re the newest big shot at the guild, huh?”

“Well technically Misa is—”

“Psssh! She doesn’t count, she already has experience working with Team Charm, which is incredible by the way,” Ayaka pointed out, an intrigued look on her face as she twirled her right paw around. “But you? You’re new to all this, and from what the others tell me, you’ve been adjusting to this life scarily fast.”

“And what if I am?” Light asked suspiciously, digging his paws into his bed. 

Ayaka’s tail flicked thoughtfully. “Whoa, no need to get defensive about it,” She purred, a teasing grin tugging the edge of her lip. “I’m just saying that because it sounds like L made a good choice in a new teammate.”

Raising an eyebrow, Light leaned forward, resting his palms on his legs. “Are you going to test me to see if I’m worthy?”

She rolled her eyes and shook her head. “Are you kidding me? No, that’s stupid.”

Caught completely off guard by her remark, Light couldn’t stop himself from snorting and covered his mouth, trying his best to resist laughing. L would not like hearing that from her. But he was starting to enjoy her company. 

She trilled in amusement and brushed her fur. “I’m more saying that it’s nice to hear L has someone who’s watching his back,” She added, staring at the ground. “So, thanks for that.”

“It’s because of him I’m even here in the first place, so I owe him a lot,” Light replied, leaning back in a more relaxed position.

Ayaka’s brow lifted, her mouth opening in surprise. “Really?”

“Yeah, he brought me here when I was down on my luck, and I’ve been a part of the team for a whole…” Light paused, adding the days he’d been out to the time he’d already spent here. “Two weeks now?”

“Wow, that’s something. Then you both lucked out,” Ayaka purred, glancing at L. “Speaking of him, when was the last time he slept before now?”

“He hasn’t as far as I’ve been here.”

Ayaka groaned loudly, pressing her paw into her muzzle. She looked like she was done with the Sneasel’s antics as she glared at him. “That moron,” She hissed quietly, lowering herself to the floor. “I had to keep begging him to sleep as much as possible when we were teamed up. He’s such a stubborn asshole who thinks he doesn’t need it, I swear.”

Light was a bit put off by the name calling, but deep down, he could tell it came from a place of concern. “I mean, I agree that he does, but he’s been managing just fine without it.”

“Don’t encourage it, you’ll only make it worse,” She padded over to L, brushing her tail over him. “If he tries to stay awake, call me over, I’ll try to convince his ass to sleep.”

Light chuckled, not expecting this to be how Ayaka spoke. Sure, she showed hints of it through her outburst, but without L, she was being surprisingly outgoing. It made him wonder more about what happened between these two. He knew asking would probably be too much for a first full conversation, but there was something else he could likely get out of her. “So, you left because you had to figure things out?”

Ayaka stiffened, eyeing him warily. “…Yes?”

“Then what made you come back?”

Tapping her paws, she stared at the floor again, mulling over an answer. “I missed everyone.”

“Do you wish you could be on the same team with L again?”

Ayaka let out a breathy, almost bitter laugh. “Of course I do, but I’ve been gone for so long and burned that bridge,” She sighed, stepping away from L. “Besides, I’ve got Kouki and Mizu now, and Kouki especially would be pissed if I ditched them after promising to form this team with them.”

Well, that confirmed one thought of his. “That bridge can’t be completely burned if you came back,” He said, raising a paw up. “Even if you are on opposite teams now, couldn’t you still have chances to work together on certain jobs.”

“I guess, if he wants me to,” Ayaka replied rubbing her left leg, before quickly changing the subject again. “By the way, what Wigglytuff did really sucks.”

“Huh?” He squinted, urging her to elaborate. 

“I mean, knowing there was a death trap at the end, and he sent you anyways? That’s so fucked up,” She hissed, the fur on her tail bristling. “I know he gets overexcited when discovering new places, but this is just too much.”

Light breathed out softly, vindicated by her words. He expected her to brush it off as simply a mistake due to Wigglytuff’s kindness, and yet she didn’t. He had no idea how much he needed to hear them from anyone other than his teammates. “Yeah, it just felt like he completely disregarded our lives.”

“I hope you know he didn’t mean to,” Ayaka defended before adding. “That still doesn’t make it okay; he should’ve thought more about it. Since you didn’t get to finish what you had to say, I had some pretty choiced words for him once we got back.”

Light couldn’t help but be impressed. “How did that go?”

“Oh, Wigglytuff took it in stride, and promised over and over it wouldn’t happen again,” Ayaka replied, resting her chin on her paws. “But Chatot nearly tore my head off for it.”

Light recalled how Chatot glared at her the other day for cursing in front of everyone. “Are you and Chatot not on good terms?”

Ayaka snorted. “Oh yeah, I’ve been on his shit list for a while now,” She huffed, with a grin that said she wore the title like a badge of honor. “The guy is such a stick in the mud, I swear. Or he has a stick up his ass.”

“It has to be stressful being one of two Pokémon in charge of the guild.”

“Doesn’t mean he needs to be a jerk about it. You don’t see Wigglytuff acting like that, do you?”

“No, but maybe his nerves are frayed because there’s a murderer on the loose on top of a Time Gear being stolen.” He noticed her breathe in sharply as he mentioned Decidueye but then returned to her casual demeanor. He realized if she and L were teamed up before, then that must’ve meant she helped investigate Decidueye.

“I guess,” She said halfheartedly and stretched, letting out a gaping yawn. “But my point still stands.”

The room had grown dark, and Light looked out the window and saw the stars twinkling in the sky. “It’s getting late, you should go to bed soon, I’ll make sure these two eat when they wake up.”

Ayaka smiled slightly. “I’m sure I won’t have to worry about that, especially L, he’s going to love it,” She replied in a joking tone, but then her ears lowered, and expression dropped with longing. “Do you really think he’d want to team up with me again?”

Light shrugged. “I couldn’t tell you for sure, but you never know until you ask.” 

“…Yeah, maybe you’re right,” She started to walk out of their room before turning around. “It was nice talking with you, Light.”

“You too.”

As silence crept into the room with her leaving, Light sighed and laid back in his bed, his head swarming with many thoughts. He was curious to know what happened during L and Ayaka’s investigation. Did they ever get close to catching Decidueye? And what did she mean by burning a bridge with L? He said he missed her. Something had to happen between them before she left that had to do with why she was figuring things out. 

But as curious as he was, he knew it wasn’t really any of his business. He didn’t have it in him to press further on about it when she’d chosen to watch over them and make sure they were taken care of. Staring at the ceiling, he began realizing that he had a lot more to think about. If the flood hadn’t happened, there was no way he would’ve had this conversation with her. Even though L soothed some of his worries during Waterfall Cave, he knew resentment would have lingered and driven a rift between them. 

Now though, he found that she was actually pleasant to talk to, as vulgar and casual as she was. He rested his arms behind his head taking a deep breath and closing his eyes, feeling another shudder run through his body. As glad as he was to open the door and start getting to know her, the memory of the fierce waves threatening to consume him haunted him like a restless spirit. He wasn’t sure if he would be able to make himself sleep but couldn’t wake up the others either. He felt so alone with his thoughts and silently begged them to stop, wishing he asked her to stay until L or Misa woke up. 

No, he could control this. He had to control this. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes. You’re alive now. It’s not going to happen again. You’re safe. Your friends are safe. He breathed out. They didn’t go away, even as he tried to push them back into an endless pit, a small part of them crawled back out, lying in wait to strike. He just had to keep pushing and focus on anything else other than the flood… What do I do now?

~~~~~~

The days dragged by painfully slow, and Light thought he would lose his mind without having much to do. Most of the time was spent hanging around the guild or going into town on the later days, per Chimecho’s orders, to make sure he didn’t make his injuries worse. Each time he tried to sleep, it never came easily, as nightmares corrupted his dreams. He didn’t think he ever dreamed until he saw himself back in Waterfall Cave, with his team, running to them and begging not to push the gem, only for him to fail and be swept away. The water filled his lungs, suffocating him as twisted limbs wrapped around his leg, dragging him deeper into the depths, before he’d wake up in a sweat, grasping his bed and shaking.

Much to everyone’s dismay, L didn’t bother sleeping at all once he woke up the first time. Chimecho tried to convince him to, but he never listened even as he said he’d try.

Misa seemed to be the one who managed to get the most sleep out of anyone, but when Light was awake, he could see her shivering and hear the tormented whimpers that came from the nightmares he was sure they shared. If he wasn’t going to, the least he could do was make her rest easier to withstand, so he’d sit next to her bed and gently rub her back, the whimpering and shivering dying down.

He tried to focus on studying when he was awake, learning more about the types of Pokémon and what each one was like while also finishing the story of how Poppy saved the world. Thanks to Alakazam of Team ACT and Xatu, she and her partner were sent up to a tower of clouds, home to a legendary Pokémon named Rayquaza, who was the only one capable of destroying the meteor. If they had failed, he wouldn’t have woken up here nor would he have met any of his friends.

During the day, everyone would check in on and visit with them to make sure they were doing okay. Even Ziggy, Izzy, Marill, and Azurill came by with treats from Kangaskhan and the Kecleon brothers, L snagging most of them. Being the bundle of energy that she was, Izzy begged them to play with her, and Light was not about to waste an opportunity to stretch his legs. Chimecho even encouraged it, saying it was good for them to get some exercise in as long as they didn’t push themselves too hard. Those moments were his favorites, getting to run around with the sweet kid and hearing her bubbly giggles without a care in the world.

Light also noticed that L and Ayaka were beginning to talk more as the days passed, starting as mostly awkward small talk before it branched into them asking each other how their day had been, and her giving the rundown of what her team did while he told her how recovery was going. And when she heard he wasn’t sleeping, she also tried convincing him, very loudly, though that didn’t work either.

Mizu and Kouki were much more talkative compared to her, especially when asked about their cooking. That was the gateway for them to start prattling on about the recipes they picked up as they traveled the continent before meeting Ayaka. They’d gotten the apple recipe Light enjoyed so much from a group of Combee and their mother, Vespiquen, who they helped scare off some thieves trying to steal their honey, and she shared it as a reward. Kouki also went into extensive detail about battling, not so subtly hinting that he still wanted to fight Light at least once. What a persistent Snivy.

Wigglytuff also made a point to check in on them constantly, bringing them whatever supplies Chimecho needed to speed up the recovery process, while also doing as much as he could to make up for their absence in the case. Light knew the guildmaster was doing his best for them and appreciated it all the same, but something like that was too much for any of them to completely let go of. In the meantime, they made sure to at least try to be on good terms with him, especially L, considering everything he’d done for the team before this.

Everyone from the station also came by and gave them updates on the case each day, which gave more for the team to discuss on nights when they couldn’t sleep. Unfortunately, there was still no sign of Decidueye, as frustrating as it was, but there were also no other murders as far as they were aware. A sicker part of Light considered that he was hiding any bodies, but then wouldn’t he have done that with all of them in the first place? This would’ve been considered a missing Pokémon case instead if he had, and he pondered if this was his way of saying he could get away with it.

Soichiro managed to investigate the remaining places they needed to check out to decide if they were likely candidates for Decidueye to hide in, many of which Misa suggested. Craggy Coast was a fairly short cave brimming with large pools where the water types swam through, with openings through the top that allowed sunlight in. Mt. Horn and Mt. Travail both had caves in them as well, both weren’t that long either as most of the time travelling through was spent out in the open. Labyrinth Cave, as one would guess by the name, was a dungeon with twisting pathways where Pokémon would easily get lost, so not many went there.

Treehshroud Forest could be considered an option, but would Decidueye even consider going there with many exploration teams surveying the area for the Time Gear thief? Its neighbor, Mystery Jungle had also succumbed to time being frozen, so teams were checking it out as well. Oblivion Forest was an option, which was Wigglytuff’s suggestion, but Soichiro warned them the dungeon was too intense for Task Force to investigate. Even they barely managed to get through. A mysterious force allowed only two Pokémon to go in and a few items to be taken, so he and Naomi elected to check it out while Raye kept watch. In the end, there wasn’t any sign of Decidueye, and they were certain that would have been the perfect place for him to attack if he was there.

As much as he wished to investigate those dungeons himself, Light was grateful to have them carry on while he and the others had to rest. They could begin narrowing down these dungeons and bring them one step closer to finding Decidueye.

With a week and a half passing by, Chimecho was giving them one final examination to make sure they were cleared, and Light could feel anticipation energizing him. As her psychic energy faded, she smiled at them. “Alright, it looks like you three are good. You can get back to work tomorrow, but please don’t start with anything too strenuous.”

Misa sighed with relief. “Thank Arceus, I thought I was going to lose it just hanging around here.”

L nodded in agreement. “We appreciate you looking after us, Chimecho.”

“Of course, if you need anything else, let me know, okay?” Chimecho replied, her psychic abilities making her kit of supplies levitate in air and she floated off.

As she did, L bit his claw, his gaze shifting between his teammates. “Well, now that we’ve got the okay, I believe now would be a good time to plan our next attack,” He suggested. “Light?”

Pulling out the treasure map, which replaced the one that got ruined, Light set it down between their beds and rolled it open. “Alright, so based on what the chief told us, pretty much all of the dungeons that Decidueye could be in have been searched through,” He reminded, pointing to each one they’ve circled. “So, I think now would be a good time to narrow down our options based on what we know.”

Misa pointed to one of the caves they had circled, which was just east of Mt. Bristle. “We could keep Labyrinth Cave maybe, but do you think he would even consider going there? It is home to a Gabite who’s very territorial. Pokémon used to come by all the time for his scales because they had healing properties and he’s been attacking them since then.”

The name was one Light was familiar with, as he recalled learning of the dragon type’s name through his research, but hadn’t gotten into too much detail about them. He didn’t know their scales were used as medicine, and shivered, recalling how desperate Ziggy was to save Izzy. If he’d chosen to find Gabite instead…

“Decidueye would expect us not to go there for this precise reason,” L replied, tapping on the dungeon. “One Gabite wouldn’t deter him, in fact, I’d say he’d be a likely target for our killer.”

“True,” Misa said, and pointed to Mt. Bristle. “What do you guys think about going here?”

“Hmm, I don’t see him hiding in Mt. Bristle, based on when L and I went to rescue Azurill, the dungeon wasn’t too dark, nor was it difficult for us to get through,” Light replied, scratching his chin. “Too many exploration teams come by here and I’d like to believe they’d alert us if they spotted him.” He took a quill from the bag, crossing it out, and winced, realizing they were going to have to replace the map again once the case concluded. Chatot was going to be annoyed at them for that.

“I’ve also been meaning to ask,” Misa chimed in, raising a paw. “Can you tell me more about your visions?”

“Sure, I started having them around the time we rescued Azurill, which wasn’t long after joining the guild,” Light explained, resting his paws on his chin. “The first time I had a vision was picking up an apple he dropped, which led to hearing his scream after having a dizzy spell, and the second time when Drowzee accidentally bumped me, then I saw him harassing Azurill. Both times visions of the future occurred after touching something or someone related to it.”

“But when you touched the falls, you had a vision of the past,” L observed with piqued interest. “Which means your ability goes both ways, how interesting. And based on your reaction, you must have had a vision after touching the gem.”

Light folded his arms, raising an eyebrow. “Yes, and I was trying to warn you two not to push it, but you were too quick.”

“That would’ve saved us a lot of pain if we hadn’t,” L hummed, squeezing his knees as he stared at the map. “What I’m wondering is if there are other factors at play triggering the visions. If we could find a way to have more control over this ability of yours, then perhaps we could use it to pinpoint Decidueye’s location.”

“So, you can’t just choose to have a vision?” Misa asked.

“Believe me, if I could, I would have used it for our case much sooner,” Light retorted, scowling at how little control he had over when they occurred. “But that doesn’t mean I won’t stop trying, surely if I keep touching things with a connection to Decidueye, I’ll have some sort of vision. The only problem is what if it’s in the past?”

“It’s still better than nothing.”

True. At least it could potentially point us in the right direction if they happen. Light stared out the window, the soft moonlight filling their room. “There’s something else I saw too, during the flood. It wasn’t quite like the visions I had before.”

“Really? And how’s that?” L asked, leaning closer to him, his gray eyes wide with piqued interest.

“It was fuzzy, but I could see a human, or I think he was a human, maybe it was me? He had the same hair as I do but looked rather bored. There were other humans too though I couldn’t see them as clearly as him. A black notebook fell from the sky too and next thing I knew, he was picking it up…” He paused, noticing that mentioning the notebook made both L and Misa lift their eyelids, like it was familiar to them. “It had something written on the cover and pages but was too blurry to make out. And there was that creature, it was black and white with a smile that was horrifying. Maybe it was a Pokémon? Or something else entirely…”

“If you’re saying that the human could be you, then perhaps it’s unlikely the creature you saw was a Pokémon,” L suggested, picking at his lip and attempting to make heads or tails of what Light saw. “I’m also curious of this notebook. What is the significance of it? Is there a chance that you hold a deep connection to it, and if so, then what exactly could it be? When you mentioned it, just the idea sounded familiar. What do you think, Misa? You seemed to have a reaction to it as well.”

Misa stared down at her fleece, squeezing it gently like she was trying to piece together a memory long forgotten. But at the same time, the effort made her shiver, like it was better off being left in the past. “It… sounds familiar, I think, but I’m not sure.”

“And what about the black and white creature, I think he was at least some sort of twisted version of a human, does this mean anything to either of you?” Holding his breath, Light’s eyes widened when Misa slowly held up her hand while L made a gesture signaling it sort of did. “Then this just strengthens my theory that maybe all of us were human at some point. How could we find this notebook familiar when only I’ve seen it in a vision? I think it’s also likely that we knew each other.”

“If that’s true, then why are we here now? What brought us here in the first place?”

“That’s what I’m trying to figure out, this vision of what could be my past isn’t giving me enough to go off of, and I didn’t see anyone who even remotely resembled either of you. If I could just have one glimpse…” He breathed out a heavy sigh, leaning his head back to think while taking in the vines trailing through the ceiling. “That could answer so many questions in my head. Did you two see anything during the flood?”

Both shook their heads, and disappointment clawed at Light. All these feelings with no proper direction made his head spin. Not knowing the truth irritated him, and it felt like some god from above was taunting him by giving something so small that didn’t hold the answer and just created more theories.

“But even if we didn’t, this still gave us a clue to who you were, Light,” Misa brought up with hope in her voice. “Maybe even who we were, and as horrible as it was, we wouldn’t have figured any of this out without the flood.”

Misa… Light smiled slightly at her, warmth budding in his heart like the spring sun melting the snow of winter, bringing the world back to life. How do you find the bright side of things so easily? It’s enough to make me feel hopeful too.

“I don’t ever want to go back, though!” Misa suddenly declared, snatching the quill from Light and crossing Waterfall Cave off on the map. “Someone else can take care of it if Decidueye is there!”

“Agreed,” Light and L said in unison, both more than happy to never go back ever again.

Misa brushed a paw through her hair and sighed. “And now I’m realizing that my question got us completely off track…oops,” She chuckled with embarrassment.

“It’s a good thing you brought it up,” Light reassured with a gentle smile. “I wouldn’t have remembered to bring it up if you hadn’t. But now we can get back on topic.” He pointed to Midnight Forest next. “How about here?”

“Yes, we can for sure keep it on our radar thanks to Rhydon’s interrogation, plus the fact that it’s a longer dungeon,” L replied and gestured to Landslide Cave, which was not too far from the hot spring. “He’d also be likely to stick to here because of how dangerous the dungeon is.”

Misa twirled the quill around, glancing around for other places before she huffed in recognition, dragging her paw from Waterfall Cave to a forest north of it. “I know it’s not quite in the eastern region, but do you think Mystifying Forest would be a place he’d go in? Considering he’s a grass type, it’d give him an advantage.”

L paused, chewing on his claw. “He has struck there before,” He said quietly. “That was where Team Astral Keepers were killed.”

They lived in a mystery dungeon too? How common was it for Pokémon who weren’t wild to live there? But then he remembered, mystery dungeons weren’t always here, which could also mean that Mystifying Forest wasn’t a dungeon at first and just a normal place for them to live. Considering their status at the time, they wouldn’t have any trouble living there. Did that mean Ziggy and Izzy didn’t always live in one too?

“Then it would be best if we add it to the list,” Light replied, giving Misa the okay to circle it before gesturing a cave and two mountains all close to each other. “I think we can cross off Craggy Coast, Mt. Horn, and Mt. Travail, they ended up not being the types of places we initially thought they were.” He then pointed to the cluster of trees northeast of them. “While Treeshroud Forest and Mystery Jungle would bring more attention on himself.”

“Yes, and as for Oblivion Forest, we can keep it for now but should heed the chief’s warning and not go there unless we’re desperate,” L replied. “For now, we’ll focus on these areas and take rescue jobs to reduce the potential of clients being killed by Decidueye, and if we’re lucky, we can catch him off guard and bring him to justice.”

“But what if we never find him? Between the seven of us, there’s no way we can cover that much ground unless we split up,” Misa asked, crossing off those places before standing up with her arms stretched out. “And what if he picks up on what we’re doing and changes the dungeons he goes to?”

“He could very well do that, but he isn’t one to back down from a challenge,” L responded with a knowing grin.

Light leaned forward, folding his arms. “What do you mean?”

“Do you really believe someone who was once a high-ranking explorer would be afraid of a Bronze Rank team and a few officers chasing him?” He questioned, waving his claws. “No, that’s not the kind of Pokémon he is. The only way he would change his strategy is if he’s backed into a corner. We won’t have to worry about him switching it up yet. If he told Rhydon where he was headed, that tells me he was expecting him to be caught and laying down a hint to see if we can catch up to him.”

Light let the words hang in the air. “…L, could I ask you something?”

“Yes?”

Up until now, Light had never seen Decidueye for himself and assumed L never had either. He didn’t doubt his teammate’s knowledge of the situation, being on the case longer would give him that advantage.

It would make sense for him to know how Decidueye fought based on what he saw from the bodies, and the testimony from the survivors. And it would even make sense to assume Decidueye was more of a risk taker with his status and from stories L could have heard from his days as an explorer, helping him draw that conclusion. But with how Light had seen L and Ayaka behaved… he believed there was more to this.

The way L reacted when Misa asked if he’d ever lost, and how he raised his voice when Light wanted to pursue him in Midnight Forest. His and Loudred’s interaction before and after sentry duty. Ayaka’s whole return, the bandages she wore around her legs, her torn ears, the way she reacted when Decidueye was even brought up.

When he kills, he aims to debilitate his victims first before finishing them off.

Two survivors…

Everything became crystal clear.

“You’ve fought him before, haven’t you?” Light asked while Misa breathed in sharply and turned to their teammate.

L didn’t respond, staring intently into his eyes, not giving away the slightest reaction to let him know he was correct, uncomfortably quiet.

“You and Ayaka have fought him before.”

L sighed and stood up, walking towards the window, the moon painting his unkempt black hair in starlight silver. He took the Relic Fragment in his hand, slowly twisting it around before holding it close to his chest. “Yes, we have,” He finally admitted, showing his face slightly, a hint of sadness in his exhausted gray eyes.

“Why didn’t you tell us before?”

“Because if I told you that day we were discussing him, there was a chance it would’ve been another reason for you to not join the investigation, and at the time, I couldn’t afford that.”

“But why wouldn’t we want to join?” Misa asked.

“We have a bigger target on our backs compared to most Pokémon,” L explained. “The fact that Ayaka and I managed to get away, I’m certain it’s something Decidueye despises more than anything, which is why I believe he’s laying these clues out for us, so that he can finish what he started.”

They would’ve had a bigger target on their backs anyways from being one of the only groups hunting him down. Ditching L after everything he’s done for him? Light would rather die than do something like that. He clenched his fists before relaxing them and scoffed. “L… you really can be an idiot sometimes.”

L glanced over at him, his eyes widening in genuine surprise.

Light stood up and walked over to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Do you really think that would’ve made us turn away? That we would let you face this alone?” He asked sincerely, smiling at him with determination. “We’re not going to let him kill you, or Ayaka. Right Misa?”

Misa hopped up, running over to them. “Of course not! You’re our friend; we’re so not letting him get away with this!”

L lingered on the words, mouthing them to himself like he was testing their validity before smiling warmly, and Light could’ve sworn he saw his eyes misting a little. “Thank you. Just so you know, I didn’t plan on keeping it hidden from you the entire time, I would’ve told you once we were closer to finding him.”

Light chuckled fondly and rolled his eyes. “I’m sure you would have.”

“But something about the matter has been bothering me, something that isn’t adding up,” L murmured, pacing towards the door anxiously. “When Ayaka left, we searched as far as we could but never found her…” He paused, squeezing the Relic Fragment. “I thought for sure he killed her. It would’ve been the perfect moment for him to do it. I’m not sure how long she was alone before meeting Kouki and Mizu, but she was still recovering when leaving, why waste the opportunity?”

And why would she even go out by herself in the first place? With Decidueye on the loose and considering what had recently happened, surely, she would’ve known doing something like that was reckless. Light couldn’t imagine what L must’ve been going through at the time. No wonder everyone was so shocked when she returned. He’d been around L most of the time Ayaka had been back, so there was no way they had the chance to talk about it yet, unless he was asleep and they went elsewhere. He doubted that though.

“Maybe she was really good at avoiding him?” Misa suggested.

“Then shouldn’t we have her join us?” Light asked, cupping his paw under his chin. “With her own knowledge, plus adding Kouki and Mizu to the equation, we’d be in a better position, and she’d be safer.”

L walked over to the treasure bag and pulled out a few gummis, offering them to his teammates who each took one, before he bit into his own. “Having her team along would turn the odds more in our favor,” He explained between bites. “But we’d need to find the right time to ask. She’s rather sensitive to the topic, and it would be best if she heard it from me. Don’t bring up that you know.”

Light had to agree with him on that part and hoped she would be willing to help. An idea popped in his head, and he playfully elbowed L. “If you’re going to convince her, maybe you should start by listening when she tells you to sleep more.”

L rolled his eyes and rubbed his arm. “I doubt that’ll be the deciding factor.”

“She’s been yelling at you about it the past few days,” Misa added. “You could at least actually try. You wouldn’t want her to worry about you, right?”

L frowned, squinting at her before shaking his head. He walked over to his bed and crouched down with his back turned to them, before tipping over on his side with his knees still tucked into his chest, a few bits of wheatgrass flying around him. “Fine.”

A triumphant smirk lit up Light’s face as he gave Misa a high five and the two stepped over to their own beds, laying down and whispering good night to each other and L.

And for the first time since waking up back at the guild, Light slept through the night without any nightmares.

Chapter Text

Ayaka limped into her room, soreness crawling through her legs and threatening to pull her down. She just had to get to bed and then she could rest. Her legs shook with each step she took, a heavy reminder of her failure and guilt, before finally reaching her freedom and collapsing on her side, breathing out and nestling into the warmth.

Today’s mission turned out to be pretty tough on her team, as they chose to rescue three different Pokémon while also apprehending a criminal in between the second and third one. She thought for sure they could handle it easily, it was just a simple Doduo in Apple Woods, but he ended up being a lot faster than they anticipated as he tried to get away. Luckily, she could rely on Flame Charge to catch up. But even with that and Kouki and Mizu blocking their only way out, it took longer than she cared to admit and put some strain on her legs. Again.

She lifted her left paw, seeing that her bandages were singed from the flames and growled quietly. Now would’ve been a good time to change them out for new ones, they were starting to get dirty anyways, but… not tonight. She couldn’t bear to look at her scars tonight. In the next room over, she knew L was discussing with his teammates their plans to hunt for Decidueye tomorrow. She overheard a little bit of their conversation, mostly places to investigate, and didn’t want to hear the rest. Seeing her scars would’ve dragged her into a past she couldn’t bear to live through again.

“Mind if I help?” Mizu’s kind voice whispered, scooting over and lifting her paw with a flipper.

Ayaka slowly pulled away and forced a smile. “It’s fine, Mizu, honest,” She reassured with a strained chuckle.

Kouki was leaning against Mizu and glanced up before shaking his head, but she smiled warmly at Ayaka, taking her paw once again and gently covering it with her other flipper. “You know helping you is not a burden to me, right?”

“I didn’t say that,” Ayaka replied nervously, avoiding Mizu’s gaze. “It’s really not that bad, just a bit sore. Just need to rest and it’ll be better in the morning.”

“Are you sure?”

She nodded hesitantly.

Mizu tilted her head with concern. “Promise?”

“Promise.”

“You’ll tell me if it gets worse, right?”

“Of course I would,” Ayaka reassured, letting her paw rest as Mizu finally relented and breathed out, noticing her breath wasn’t as warm as usual. “Could you hand me a couple sticks, please?”

Mizu giggled, taking their treasure bag off and reaching in to grab a few, handing them to her.

Ayaka took one in her mouth and began chewing on it. “Thank you,” She mumbled, humming at the satisfying crunch it gave as she bit a piece off and swallowed.

When L saw her doing that for the first time, he ended up asking her a bunch of questions, which she found puzzling at the time since it was common knowledge that Fennekin ate twigs and sticks. But then she learned he had amnesia and didn’t have much knowledge about them yet, so she excitedly told him as much as she could about them and Sprigatito.

She could still remember how intrigued he was as she explained, asking more questions when something confused him, especially when it came to which parts of her dad she inherited. While her fur didn’t resemble plants, it did give off a sweet scent, though it was nowhere near as strong as a normal Sprigatito’s. Explaining everything to him gave her a comfort that she hadn’t felt in so long, one from when her parents were still around.

She took another bite of her stick, lying her head down as the heat began returning to her body.

Kouki lifted his arms behind his head, one of his vines idly flicking at a leaf dangling from the ceiling. “So, when are you going to talk to L about what happened?”

Ayaka flinched, nearly choking and forced herself to swallow, trying her best not to let him see. You’ve gotta be kidding me. Why bring that up now? She knew she was going to hear it eventually, and yet it still made her want to burrow underground and never come out. Leave it to Kouki to always speak his mind. That was something she equally found infuriating and refreshing. It was partially because of him she even managed to come back to the guild in the first place. She cleared her throat and hummed questioningly.

Retrieving his vines, Kouki stood up and walked over to her, staring her down with an expression that told her he meant business. “Seriously, Ayaka?” He asked, folding his arms and tilting his head to the side. “Do I need to remind you?”

She would rather be thrown down a pitfall trap. 

“Part of the reason why we even came here in the first place was so you could make things right with L.”

Her muscles tensed up. “I haven’t really gotten the chance to tell him yet, considering he nearly died—”

“Exactly! He nearly died!” He interrupted, pointing at her. “You nearly lost your chance!”

Ayaka’s paws trembled. She nearly lost him again. The sight of Decidueye lunging at him flashed in her mind. She pushed herself up with her front paws. “But I didn’t, and I’m going to tell him eventually.” She tried to keep her voice calm and level but could feel it breaking.

“You should’ve told him the day you came back to the guild,” Kouki retorted, pressing two fingers against his forehead. “You said you would, but that didn’t happen.”

She knew he was right. And she could’ve done it too. She was ready. She kept telling herself she was. But every time she was a step closer to the guild, something deep inside told her going back would be a horrible mistake. That she wouldn’t be welcomed back. Everyone would hate her for just disappearing. L would despise her for rushing into a fight they weren’t ready for and then treating him so poorly afterwards before leaving. That they were better off without her. And each time, she would run away.

That was until Kouki finally had enough and practically had to drag her back, while he and Mizu kept saying everything would be okay. When she finally walked through that door, she expected to be ridiculed. Imagine her surprise when Bidoof, one of her first friends, the one who she and L helped adjust to living at the guild, came up with open arms, and then everyone else soon followed. It felt like so much all at once that she thought she would’ve burst into tears.

And then she saw L, and everything felt right in the world again. She had so much to tell him and genuinely believed she had the strength to do it. If she could’ve, she would’ve pulled him into another room and poured out everything, all her guilt, all her regrets, how much he means to her, how much she missed him. She would’ve been ready to face whatever he had to say afterwards, whether it be good or bad. But then the past came crashing back like a tidal wave, and the fire that fueled her was snuffed out right then and there.

Mizu gently brushed Kouki’s side with her flipper. “Sometimes it’s easier said than done, Kouki,” She whispered thoughtfully.

Ayaka didn’t know whether to be grateful to Mizu or wish she wasn’t on her side. She dug her paws into her bed. “And I couldn’t just talk to him while he’s recovering, that could’ve stressed him out.”

“You’re being cruel to him by not doing it,” Kouki argued, gesturing out into the hallway. “Do you really think it’s fair to come back after being gone so long and keep him in the dark longer? He deserves answers. Don’t you want to help him catch Decidueye?”

Decidueye. Amaryllis. She breathed out a puff of embers that dissipated into the air. “Of course I do!” She hissed, feeling the heat rising and paused to compose herself, staring at her paws. “But… I screwed up so bad last time… what if he doesn’t want me helping again?”

“You won’t know until you ask,” Mizu reassured. Light said the same thing.

“He’s got new teammates though, and they’re probably much better for him than I ever could be,” Ayaka huffed bitterly. She didn’t have anything against either of them. In fact, she thought both of them were cool. Light did seem a bit too stiff, but had a feeling that with time, he would loosen up eventually and hoped their talk helped. And while she didn’t interact with Misa much yet, she knew from her bubbly energy that they would get along just fine.

“It’s not a competition of who’s better,” Kouki replied, raising an eyebrow.

“They stand a better chance of catching Decidueye than L ever did with me,” She mumbled halfheartedly.

“You both found him.”

Ayaka scoffed. “It was just a fluke, and besides, it’s not really that big of a deal.”

“Tauros shit.”

Anger burned as the fire built up again, and she spat out more embers, hissing as her tail whipped back and forth. “How could you know!? You weren’t even there when it happened!”

Kouki’s firm posture didn’t change as he stared her down with his arms folded. “I didn’t need to be there to see how much this has been torturing you the past couple months. You’ve been miserable,” He reasoned, desperation rising in his voice. “You can’t tell me it’s easier to stay in the same guild as him, avoid this entirely, and put both yourself and him through this pain. What happens if they find Decidueye before you talk to him?”

Ayaka tensed up, trying not to think about it.

“What happens if he kills them?”

Her mom’s words echoed in her mind. If you ever feel your life is in danger, run away as fast as you can. She’s not even in real danger. She’s safe in the guild. This should all be so simple, so why does it feel like she has to run again? She hated feeling like this. “I’m just so scared,” She admitted weakly.

Kouki’s gaze softened with understanding. “It’s okay for you to be scared. You’ve been through so much,” He said quietly, a hint of firmness in his voice still. “But you’re not the only one who fought Decidueye. How did you think L was feeling when you left?”

He had to be furious but kept it hidden from her. What else could he possibly have been? Her heart pounded in her chest while her breathing sped up. She just knew that the moment they tried to talk, he would let out everything that her absence would’ve forced him to build up over time. But then she glanced back at Kouki and Mizu, waiting for an answer, and paused to close her eyes, trying to quiet the chaos ravaging her thoughts.

L smiled at her. Even if it was faint, he smiled when she came back. A real smile. She could tell it was real. He told her he missed her, and despite everything, she somehow knew he meant it. He seemed so relieved when she came to the hot spring after the flood. How was he really feeling when she left? A tear rolled down her cheek and she suppressed a sob.

Kouki reached over, wiping the tear away, and finally giving her a smile. “Promise me you won’t wait much longer,” He whispered. “You’re our friend, Ayaka, and as much as I want to, this isn’t something I can help you with. I hate seeing you in so much pain.”

He’s already done so much for her. Him and Mizu have in so many ways. She wasn’t sure where she would be if she hadn’t met them. The least she could do was try. “…I’ll do my best.”

“And I believe you,” He replied before turning around and going to Mizu, lying next to her while she wrapped a flipper around him.

Mizu gently patted her bed with her back flippers. “Would you like to come over here?” She asked warmly.

Ayaka believed she wouldn’t be able to sleep if she didn’t and padded over to curl up next to them, Mizu’s back flippers covering her protectively. She sighed and burrowed her muzzle into her paws, eyes drooping as drowsiness began taking over.

“Good night,” Mizu whispered.

Kouki reached up and kissed Mizu’s cheek. “Good night.”

Ayaka slowly closed her eyes. “…Night…” She mumbled, slowly drifting off, hoping that maybe this time, she would find the strength to reach out to L again.

~~~~~~

“UP AND AT EM! IT’S MORNING!”

Loudred’s call followed by Misa and Light screaming rang in L’s ears and he groaned, putting his claws over them. His eyes fluttered open as the warmth of the morning light seeped into his skin. 

“Loudred! What the hell!?” Misa shouted.

Loudred burst out laughing. “Come on, I never get to wake you guys up! I could get used to this!”

“Why don’t you go bother somebody else?” Light huffed grumpily. 

“Just doing my job! See you soon guys!” Loudred laughed and L could hear him walk out of their room. 

“Jerk,” Misa mumbled. 

L yawned quietly and sat up, rubbing his eyes. “You know this wouldn’t have happened if you didn’t convince me to sleep.”

Light rolled his eyes. “Do you at least feel rested?”

“Somewhat, yes.”

“Then I guess that’s a sacrifice we’re going to have to make.”

Misa pouted and coiled her ears into balls. “But he’s so loud,” She complained.

Breathing out a drawn-out sigh of disappointment, Light rested his palm over his face and slowly dragged it down. “Misa, are you being serious right now?”

As an admittedly ridiculous argument broke out between the two, L decided to drown it out and consider their options for today. He was pleased with the progress they’ve made in the case, but at the same time, something felt off. Even before meeting Light, Decidueye had been silent for much longer than he anticipated, aside from his little interaction with Rhydon. Surely by now he would’ve murdered someone else, and yet nobody has been discovered yet.

He's planning something. L could feel it but wasn’t sure what it could be yet. All he knew was that it had to do with him testing out those dungeons like Midnight Forest. Were they making the right move by going into these dungeons and potentially falling into his trap? He and Ayaka were lucky to get away from him last time, but he doubted Decidueye would ever let that happen again.

He couldn’t believe she was still alive. In hindsight, Rhydon basically told him that she was, but he’d been too focused on learning more about Decidueye’s whereabouts while the sting of that night partially clouded his thoughts.

He didn’t know what to think the moment he saw her. It was like he’d wandered into a dream that if he woke up, she would be gone again. How could she have put herself in so much danger after nearly being killed? Part of him was ready to scream at her for letting him believe she’d been dead all that time, but seeing the pain in her eyes, he knew it would’ve only made it worse. He tried to rationalize all the reasons that drove her off into the night and questioned if he could’ve done more to stop her. With how furious she was after waking up, he was certain she needed some space to cool off, but was it a miscalculation on his part?

Memories of those few days replayed over and over in his head like a haunting spirit unable to rest. Each time, he tried to change the solution, searching for the correct strategy to win against Decidueye. Changing the strategy back then wouldn’t help now that it was already done, though the bitter taste of defeat tore through him. Decidueye won that day in more ways than he would admit aloud. There was so much racing through his mind, all the things he would have done differently. Maybe then she would have stayed.

Now that she was back, a wave of relief had washed over him, even with all his questions, while also making him consider his options. Would it even be worth asking her if she wanted to rejoin the investigation? He’d already seen firsthand the amount of pain and torment the murderous bird had put her through. He could see the weariness in her eyes, even though he knew she was trying to hide it. It was unfair to ask this of her, but at the same time, they nearly succeeded together. With their teams combined, they could bring Decidueye to justice. He just needed to wait for the right moment.

“Wait, what time is it?” Misa asked, breaking off the argument to peek out into the hall. Everyone was already gone.

“Ah, dammit, we overslept!” Light shouted, grabbing both hers and L’s hands and yanking them through the halls. Everyone stared at them as they rushed in, panting for breath. He lifted his head and waved slightly. “Heheh… morning, sorry we’re late.”

Chatot let out a small chuckle, and L could see relief in his normally stern eyes. “It’s no trouble this time,” He replied and cleared his throat. “Excellent, now that everyone is here, the guildmaster has an announcement for everyone.” He waved to Wigglytuff.

“Thank you Chatot!” He smiled at everyone. “Good morning, friends! Chatot and I have been discussing this for a while now, but we wanted to let you all know we’re planning on mounting an expedition soon!”

An expedition? Around him, the other apprentices murmured to each other excitedly, wondering who was going to be chosen, where they were going to, and what treasures they might uncover. He’d never been on one before, the last one happened to be a month before Wigglytuff found him. He glanced over at Ayaka, who based on her neutral expression seemed indifferent, but her tail was wagging slightly. It did sound like it could be a nice change of pace from their usual daily life, but…

 “Guildmaster, while I’m not against the idea, I do have some concerns. Would it be wise of us to go on an expedition with Decidueye still on the loose?”

Wigglytuff nodded at him. “That’s right L! I wouldn’t want to take that kind of risk, so we won’t be going until he’s caught.”

Light folded his arms and mumbled in frustration, “Way to put more pressure on us.”

“But I do want to ask you to think about helping with the case,” Wigglytuff added, a more serious tone to his usually jovial voice. “The police and our friends could use as much help as they can get, and the sooner we catch him, the sooner we can announce who’s going on the expedition!”

L could’ve sworn he could hear Kricketot chirping with how uncomfortably silent the room went. Tension filled the air as the apprentices behind them shifted nervously. Mizu and Kouki glanced at Ayaka and whispered something to her that he couldn’t catch, but she didn’t respond, her tail twitching.

Sensing their nerves, Wigglytuff continued. “If any of you decide to join, you’ll have a spot in the expedition, no questions asked,” He added. “Even if you don’t, this doesn’t mean you won’t be allowed to go though, so don’t feel pressured to join.”

No one said a word, and while L appreciated the effort, it seemed like it was in vain. At least it was until Loudred stepped up.

“Count me in, Guildmaster!” He declared, raising his hand up confidently, despite being nervous himself. “I made a promise to L a couple weeks back, and I’m not about to break it!” He glanced back at L and gave him a nod, which he returned appreciatively.

“Thank you! Then once you’re done with your duties, you, me, and Chatot will go up to the station and see how we can help,” Wigglytuff replied gratefully, pride beaming in his turquoise eyes before returning to the others. “In the meantime, everyone else take your time to think about it. No one’s going to think poorly about you if you decide not to, so think through it carefully.”

“Yes, and I do believe that’s all the announcements we have. Time to get to work!” Chatot declared, shooting his wing to the sky.

“H-HURRAY!!!” Everyone else shouted anxiously before most of the apprentices scurried upstairs.

Loudred walked over and patted L’s shoulder, smiling at him before going to the sentry duty. He then glanced at Wigglytuff, who winked at him before going to his chambers with Chatot to talk.

Misa jumped up excitedly. “Oh my gosh! I can’t wait! Where do you think we’re going!?”

“Hopefully somewhere Wigglytuff hasn’t been before,” Light replied warily.

“That’s typically how it goes,” L replied with a shrug.

“Have you been on one?” Misa’s stared at him curiously.

“No, that was before my time.”

Misa puffed her cheeks in annoyance. “So, you’ll have no idea where we might be going. Booooo…”

Kouki chuckled. “Don’t worry, you’re pretty much guaranteed to go, it’ll just be a matter of time before we find out.”

Ayaka leaned closer to Misa and playfully whispered in her ear, “If you bribe Wigglytuff with perfect apples, you might get something out of him.”

Misa’s mouth gaped. “Really?”

 “Yeah, the guy loooooves perfect apples. He’s obsessed with them.”

“It wouldn’t surprise me if someone tried to win a spot in the expedition by bribing him in the past,” L added, tapping his claw against his lip.

“I’d buy it.” She snickered like she had someone in mind already.

Kouki held his arms behind his back. “So, where are you guys headed today?”

“Not sure yet, we’re going to see what’s on the board and decide from there,” Light replied.

“Why don’t we check it out together?” Mizu suggested.

“That’s fine by me.”

Going up the ladder, L noticed that Ayaka was staring at him, biting her lip like she had something to say. However, when they got to the top, they veered off in separate directions, her going to the outlaw notice board, while he went to the job notice board. He glanced over and breathed out his nostrils, slightly frustrated and wondering what was on her mind for a moment, before focusing on the jobs listed and chewing on his claw.

As they looked through the jobs, he could hear familiar voices coming down the ladder, and a faint toxic smell wafted his nose. They were both talking boisterously to each other and laughing, though he couldn’t care less.

Light’s ear twitched, and he reflexively scrunched his nose, nudging L and subtly gesturing to the two arrivals.

Misa looked back, seeing that Koffing and Zubat were hovering in the middle of the room and whispered, “Is that them?”

L nodded and whispered back, “Just ignore them.” From the right, he could hear Zubat whisper something to Koffing and the two chuckled deviously, flying over to them.

“Whoa-ho-ho! If it isn’t our old friends! Whatcha two doing here of all places?” Koffing asked, his toxic fumes overwhelming any fresh air that made its way into the room.

“How about Landslide Cave for today?” L gestured to three different requests on the board, two near the bottom right and one on the top left.

“I’m in,” Misa replied.

“Same here,” Light added, helping L take them off the board and looking them over. “Two rescues and a delivery… who the hell waits in a dungeon for an item delivery?”

Koffing gritted his teeth. “HEY! We’re talking to you!”

“Did you hear something?” Misa asked, her voice sounding genuine but flashing Light a mischievous grin.

He returned the grin and shook his head. “No, something does smell in here.”

This is not ignoring them. L pinched one of the requests by the corners and folded it before wrapping his free claw around the Relic Fragment, making sure they didn’t try to steal it again. He wouldn’t allow them to this time. “Perhaps going to any of the towns don’t work in their favor, or they could live there. Hopefully if Decidueye is lurking around, we can get to them before he can.”

“Or we’ll be lucky, and he won’t be there at all,” Misa added, raising her paw.

“Is it really lucky if we’re trying to find him though?” Light asked.

“No, but it’ll be lucky for our clients.”

“EXCUSE ME!!!” Zubat screeched at the top of his lungs, grabbing the attention of everyone in the room.

So, the ignore them and they’ll go away strategy didn’t work. What a nuisance. “Don’t mind us, we’ll be out of the way soon,” L said flatly, not glancing at them.

“Come on, you can’t tell me you don’t recognize us!” Koffing yelled, attempting to maintain his rough and tough appearance though L already knew that was far gone.

“I do, it’s just not worth my time acknowledging you,” He said indifferently. “But considering you’re persistent in getting our attention, I’ll humor you. What do you want?”

“We’re just wanting to say hello to a couple of old friends,” Zubat snickered and tried to wrap a wing around L’s shoulder, though he immediately stepped away and glared coldly at him.  “So, they let a weirdo like you in here?”

“I could ask the same question for you two,” L retorted, turning and pointing at the two of them with a brow raised. Out of the corner of his eyes, he could see the other apprentices observing the scene.

Light gritted his teeth and glared at the thugs. “You have a lot of nerve saying that.”

“I concur, perhaps they feel as if they need to resort to name calling due to the fact they’re insecure about their lack of strength. It would only make sense, considering how easily we took them down despite all their talk of how much better they are.”

Zubat hissed, battering his wings with the fury of a thousand Beedrill that didn’t faze L. Instead, it only strengthened his argument. The whole display was laughably childish. “Shut up! You just got lucky!”

“It’s lucky that you got knocked out by a move that you’re weak to?” Light taunted, folding his arms and smirking. “I’m not sure I follow that logic, but please explain.” When he didn’t get a response out of the two, he scoffed. “Why are you even here?”

Koffing grinned, showing crooked and cracked teeth. “Whoa-ho-ho! Is it against the rules for an exploration team to look for jobs, twerp?”

“Well, considering your track record, I find it hard to believe you’re an exploration team,” L retorted, rolling his eyes. “Is this your way of turning over a new leaf after robbing me in front of a witness? You’re not exactly giving the best first impression to my fellow apprentices over there.” He gestured to the others watching.

Misa had her arms folded, tapping her feet impatiently, wanting them to be gone as soon as possible while Bidoof, Sunflora, and Corphish were whispering to each other warily. Mizu was desperately whispering to Kouki and Ayaka not to make it worse as both were glaring at the poison types.

“Pah! I don’t give a damn what they think, you freak,” Koffing spat, giving a high and mighty smirk to L.

That was the final straw as Ayaka brushed passed her teammates and stalked up to them calmly. Mizu quietly called for her to leave it be, but she ignored her. A heat of anger radiated from her while giving them a stone-cold expression. “Excuse me, I’m going to have to ask you two to stop bothering them.”

Zubat whipped around. “Who the hell are you?”

“Like I’m gonna give you my name, did you not hear me?” Ayaka hissed, her voice like venom as she glared at them. “Leave them alone or we can take this outside.”

Koffing snorted and then burst out laughing. “Whoa-ho-ho! Is this your little bodyguard or something!?” He asked L and got in Ayaka’s face. “How cute and pathetic!”

“Heh-heh-heh! Whatcha gonna do about it, bitch?” Zubat taunted, following Koffing’s lead.

“Yeah, you really think you could take both of—” Koffing let out a yell of pain as a light blue beam with multi-colored rings pulsating around it burst from Ayaka’s mouth, knocking him out cold.

For a moment, Zubat stared at his unconscious partner, completely stunned in silence before hissing and baring his teeth. “Why you little!” He was about to lunge in and bite her when she unleashed the beam again, striking him in the chest and he dropped on Koffing.

Ayaka huffed in disappointment, licking her paw and brushing her chest fur. “That was easier than I thought,” She said flatly and strutted over to Task Force. “You all good?”

Though L was impressed as usual, he hardly found it necessary. “We had everything under control; there was no need to fight them.”

Ayaka snorted and licked her paw again, wiping it over the tuft of fur sticking up on her head. “From the way I see it, they were asking for it.”

“And how do you plan on explaining that to Chatot?”

Ayaka rolled her eyes, lifting her paw while clearing her throat. She shot the others a mischievous glance before bowing like a remorseful soldier, declaring in a dramatic yet mocking tone, “Oh sorry for the trouble, Lord Chatot! These two worthless scums were disrupting the peace and harassing our very own apprentices. I do hope you can forgive my barbaric ways, for it was a necessity to keep the serenity of our very humble guild!”

“How eloquent,” L chuckled fondly. It was nice seeing her acting like her usual self, and he hoped it would last.

Ayaka purred and puffed her chest out pridefully before sniffing the air and grimacing. The toxic fumes were growing stronger, and not from Koffing, as a low, deep laugh echoed from the ladder.

A large, purple skunk-looking Pokémon lumbered down, holding his head high with disgusting arrogance. His spiky tail curled over his back up to his head, the cream end resembling a pompadour. His belly, paws and muzzle were all cream colored while his eyes were deep black and narrow. He huffed, seeing Koffing and Zubat knocked out, and gave them a wide, unsettling grin. “Which one of you chumps did this to my boys?”

Light clenched his fists. “You’re with them?”

“Chaw-haw-haw! Yeah, the names Skuntank, leader of Team Skull, and don’t any of you forget it.” He lumbered over to Light, jabbing him in the chest with a claw and he held up his fists defensively. “Did you do this?”

Zubat groaned, regaining consciousness but still completely dazed from Ayaka’s Psybeam. “C-Chief! It was the Fennekin!”

Skuntank let out a low, grumbling laugh and thumped over to her, baring his teeth. “Now what gives you the right to mess up my boys like that?”

Ayaka’s intense, cold blue eyes didn’t waver from his. “Your boys were harassing members of the guild. Hate to say this, but they had it coming.”

Not saying a word, Skuntank seemed like he accepted the answer, turning away from her like he was about to gather Koffing and Zubat and leave. But then he just stood there, a long pause lingering in the air, before he lifted his claws, a dark aura sharpening them as he whipped around to slash at her.

Letting out a surprised gasp, Ayaka jumped back, the claws striking into the ground as bits of dirt flew between them. She hissed and pawed at the ground. “Oh, so we’re playing that game, huh? Fine, bring it.” She opened her mouth and unleashed a barrage of stars at him.

The poison type tried to leap out of the way, but the stars abruptly changed their course, raining down on him from above as he growled, lunging at her and swiping rapidly.

Flames flickered around her paws before completely engulfing her, giving her a boost in speed that she used to jump over his claws and tackle him in the chest, though he didn’t get pushed back too far.

Using this to his advantage, Skuntank grinned and Sucker Punched her in the stomach, launching her back a few feet. He then breathed in deeply while she was down and spewed out a thick cloud of poisonous gas, the remaining fresh air completely wiped away as everyone else tried to avoid it.

L’s heart raced when he heard her coughing from inside the cloud and was about to counter it with an Icy Wind before she jumped out, glaring down at Skuntank with a smug grin despite her cheeks having a tint of purple. An intense spark was rekindled in her passionate blue eyes just from the desire to put this brutish Pokémon in his place, one that L could feel himself getting drawn back into as he did when they teamed up for their first battle.

Before Skuntank could even think to move, the flames engulfed Ayaka once again, but she didn’t charge down at him right away. Instead, she unleashed another barrage of Swift, the stars catching on fire and striking him once again, singeing his fur and he stumbled. As she landed, L immediately noticed her left leg nearly give way, and she tried to hide a wince.

Skuntank seemed to notice this too, an arrogant laugh erupting from him as he prepared to strike her with another Night Slash. But then he let out a surprised yell and fell forward, as Kouki had wrapped his vines around his back legs to drag him down.

The Snivy released Skuntank’s ankles, pulling his vines back in an arcing motion, before he did a roundhouse kick, the vines following him as they smacked Skuntank in the side and sent him stumbling on his back.

Ayaka growled at Kouki, lifting her head up. “I had him!”

“Uh… you’re welcome?” Kouki replied, feigning being offended as he prepared for Skuntank’s next move.

“What’s going on up here!?” Chatot’s angry shriek rattled the guild as the fighting came to a complete stop. He flew up from below and gasped, seeing Skuntank trying to get up while Zubat and Koffing were still down and Ayaka was panting while Kouki had his vines out. “What are you two doing!?” He hurried over to Team Skull, helping them up. “I’m so sorry, sir! Usually, our apprentices are better behaved than this.”

Ayaka stepped forward. “But Chatot, they—!”

“I don’t want any excuses!”

L reached out to Chatot, attempting to calm him down. “You should listen to her; they were the ones that—”

“Don’t defend her, L! You know this behavior is inexcusable!” He snapped before turning on Ayaka. “I thought you would’ve learned by now, and bringing your own teammate into this as well? I’m very disappointed in you!”

Ayaka lowered her ears and growled.

“Now hold on just a damn minute,” Kouki said firmly, standing in front of Ayaka protectively. “She didn’t drag me into anything. I chose to fight them.”

Misa hopped up, pointing to Skuntank. “And they started it!”

“Everyone in the room saw it happen,” Light added, keeping composed, though he was glaring at the three ruffians while Bidoof, Sunflora, and Corphish all nodded in agreement.

“Chatot, sir, I understand why you’re upset,” Mizu reasoned, her voice gentle. “We know this fight shouldn’t have happened in the first place, but it was because those three were bothering our friends, and Ayaka and Kouki were just looking after them.”

Skuntank huffed, saying to Chatot in a more polite tone. “We did no such thing, though this appears to be a misunderstanding,” He chuckled in a sickeningly friendly voice. “Don’t get your feathers too ruffled though, Mr. Chatot. It was all just a friendly little competition. I’m sure we can talk this over with your guildmaster.”

Chatot glanced back at everyone and then to Team Skull, getting increasingly stressed out by the second as his twitching eyes looked like they could pop out. “Yes, yes, of course, right this way,” He guided them to the ladder before glaring at Ayaka one last time. “I better not see you picking anymore fights, understood?”

Ayaka’s fur bristled, and she hissed quietly in defiance.

“Understood?”

She lowered her ears again and sighed. “Yeah…” She mumbled, watching as they disappeared.

Mizu hurried to Ayaka’s side, pulling a pecha berry from her bag and handing it to her while checking for any signs of injuries. “Are you hurt anywhere?”

As Ayaka bit into the berry, her cheeks returned to their normal color with the effects of poison vanishing. “Nah, I’m good.”

L approached her, crouching down on his knees and staring directly into her eyes. “Which leg was it?”

She feigned a clueless expression. “None of them?”

“Ayaka,” L said firmly, holding his claws open.

She winced and lifted her front left leg, which he carefully took in his palms and started breathing cold air on it, rubbing circles around them to soothe her aches. He hummed when she let out a sigh of relief.

“Now what makes you think you could get away with something like this after lecturing me about not sleeping?” He whispered, showing her a small smile.

Ayaka’s cheeks flushed, as she opened her mouth to answer, but then lost the words as she stammered before simply replying, “I don’t know.”

L took a closer look at her bandages, seeing that they were singed from the battle, likely about to fall off if anything directly yanked them, while dirt was building up underneath. “You need to change these.”

Panic flashed on her face as she shook her head.

“You could get an infection,” L added, confused as to why she was being so combative about this. She’d never been like this before. “You don’t have to change them here, you know.”

“They’re healed up,” She insisted, forcing a smile.

“It’s better to play it safe than take that risk,” L whispered, furrowing his brow.

“It’s fine, I’ll change them later.”

L wasn’t sure if he believed her but decided to relent for now to avoid making her more uncomfortable. Still, this level of defiance was far too concerning. What happened while she was gone? He breathed out another wave of cold air. “How does that feel?”

Ayaka stared at her leg. “Better.”

“Good.” L was about to let her paw go when he stared back at her again, seeing there were bags under her weary eyes. How much had she been sleeping the previous nights? Even with those moments when she seemed like her old self, he could feel the pain weighing her down despite her best attempts to hide it. He gently rubbed her paw and whispered, “Is there anything you need to talk to me about?”

She lingered there, still staring at her leg and squeezed her eyes shut before sighing. “I’m fine.”

She was lying, but he couldn’t just force it out of her, or she’d leave again. He felt so helpless. “You know where to find me if you change your mind.” His heart lifted when she smiled at him, a broken but genuine smile and carefully set her paw down. The two looked over at the others, Light telling the story of that fateful day on the beach.

“What? Right in front of you!?” Kouki gasped, holding his arms out. “Shouldn’t we tell the guildmaster?”

“Yup yup! But what if Chatot doesn’t let us?” Bidoof asked nervously.

Corphish waved his pincer in the air. “We should let him cool down first before discussing it with him, hey hey!”

“I just can’t believe he didn’t even try to let Ayaka explain herself!” Sunflora gasped.

“Especially since she had a good reason to,” Bidoof added.

Mizu sighed. “I hate to be the one to say this, but Chatot is right about one thing,” She tilted her head towards Ayaka and Kouki worriedly. “You two really shouldn’t have fought them in the first place. It’s not worth getting in trouble. What if you get kicked out?”

Kouki held his hands up defensively. “Hey, Skuntank threw that first attack. Also, Chatot wouldn’t dare.”

“He might…” Ayaka muttered, picking at her bandage.

Light’s eyes lifted, and he covered his mouth in deep thought before he smiled at Ayaka compassionately. “As long as Wigglytuff’s around, that’s not going to happen. Trust me,” He reassured and sniffed the air, grimacing at the lingering toxic scent. “Let’s get out of here, we could use some fresh air.”

Ayaka’s face brightened slightly as she stood up, testing how her leg felt when putting pressure on it. Before L could also stand up, she gently tugged his scarf, and he leaned closer. “Thank you,” She whispered.

“Of course,” L whispered back, standing up to wave goodbye to Bidoof, Sunflora, and Corphish, who were about to head out on a joint exploration.

The fresh air tasted delightful the moment they made it outside, the sound of rustling leaves blowing in the wind being a welcoming calm.

Kouki stretched his arms to the sky, letting out a loud grunt as he soaked in the sun’s rays and leaned on Mizu.

Light and Misa carefully took out the jobs they grabbed, making sure they didn’t get blown away as they checked the details before putting them away.

Ayaka closed her eyes, the wind ruffling her fur as she raised her chin and breathed out a small laugh before they all headed down to the crossroads.

A Spinda wearing a blue apron was pacing in a teetering motion next to a Wynaut and Wobbuffet who were both wearing orange bowties. The muted orange and tan normal type nearly fell over at the sight of the large group arriving and leapt with joy. “Oh customers! How wonderful! How delightful!” He danced around them, greeting them each with a dopey yet professional smile. “Welcome! Welcome to Spinda’s café! A wonderful place overflowing with hopes and dreams!”

Wobbuffet held her arm over her forehead and cried out, “That’s right!”

Hopes and Dreams? L chewed on his claw and leaned forward, intrigued by the bold pitch while also not quite believing it yet.

“Please come in! Don’t be shy!” Wynaut insisted, climbing down the new staircase the team noticed that day they went to the falls.

Everyone glanced at each other and shrugged, following the enthusiastic Pokémon down the stairs. Below was a wide, hexagonal room, with a few other exploration teams already checking out the place. Round tables were scattered around the front where the teams sat, though there was a few extra ones still open for them to choose from. Pennant garlands alternating between pastel colors were strung along the walls near the ceiling below vibrant red ribbon.

On the left was a counter with glass dispensers on top with different juices in each, and a glass display case showing a variety of treats from cakes to donuts and other assorted pastries. Behind it was a shelf with berries and other ingredients in baskets, and at the top was a wooden cutout painted to look like Spinda. In the corner was a round, muted brown stone oven, where an Alcremie and Magby in blue aprons were baking a variety of desserts. At the counter, an Inteleon also wearing an apron was pouring grounded coffee beans into a pot and pointing his finger over it, using Scald to brew it. To the sides were light brown barrels filled with more beverages. A heavenly sweet scent filled the air, making L’s stomach grumble.

On the right was another counter, this one piled with small brown boxes, papers, and a treasure chest. Behind was another shelf, this one filled with items from dungeons that one would find while exploring and the wood cutout at the top was painted to look like Wynaut.

To the sides were potted trees with huge, lush green leaves. A couple of stand-up chalkboards were standing beside both counters, the one on the left showing the menu while the other showed items available in exchange for recycling items.

“Here we are, please, make yourself at home and take a look over the menu,” Spinda insisted, hobbling over to his counter and pointing at the chalk board. “We’ve got a variety of sweets and drinks to choose from. I can even make custom orders if you bring your own ingredients.”

The sound of sweets immediately grabbed L’s attention as he examined the menu, contemplating what to order, and was especially drawn to the cakes. “I’ll try the pecha cake please, and a coffee.”

Spinda grabbed a notepad, jotting down L’s order. “You got it, and the rest of you?”

“I’m not that hungry, want to split a muffin?” Light whispered to Misa.

“That sounds wonderful,” Misa replied. “Are you okay with cheri?”

“Of course,” Light cleared his throat and asked politely. “May we have a cheri muffin, and I’ll take a coffee please.”

“And some oran juice for me, please!”

Spinda wrote down their orders. “Got that, and who’s next?”

Kouki and Mizu whispered to each other and approached him next. “We’ll have two pecha muffins please, and I’ll take an oran juice to drink,” Kouki asked before waiting for Mizu to finish her order.

“And may I please have a rawst juice?” Mizu requested.

“Certainly!” Spinda wrote it down and turned to Ayaka, awaiting her order.

“Hmmm… so much to choose from, they all look so good,” Ayaka mumbled, puffing her cheeks from her dilemma. “Oooooooh… how about… I’ll take a chocolate croissant please, and a coffee with two extra shots of espresso.”

Spinda was halfway done with writing down her order when he froze, staring at her with concern, while the Inteleon overheard, looking up from the coffee he was brewing and raised an eyebrow, seeming like he’s heard orders like this before, but not from a small Fennekin. “Are… you sure you want two?”

“Yeah, I’m sure.”

“…Okaaaaaaaay, then,” Spinda finished writing it down and read the order back to the teams. When they confirmed it was correct, he tore out the paper and flipped the notepad shut. “Coming right up, in the meantime, have a seat and enjoy! Oh, and if you have any extra items you don’t need, check out Wynaut and Wobbuffet’s recycle shop. You can exchange them for prize tickets and other items for your explorations.”

“You had me at prize,” Kouki grabbed the treasure bag from Mizu and raced over to the recycle shop counter before Wynaut and Wobbuffet could get behind, and pulled out a couple of plain seeds, a used TM, and a scanner orb, exchanging them for a prize ticket. He immediately redeemed it and was asked to pick from a red, blue, and yellow card. After a bit of debating, he chose yellow and waited patiently…only to lose and get an oran berry as a consolation prize. “Dammit! Wait, hold on, I think I have more extras!”

Ayaka’s mouth hung open, squinting at her teammates frantic search while her irises flickered to Mizu. “He’s going to gamble all our items away.”

“Kouki, sweetie, I know it seems fun, but…” Mizu carefully pulled Kouki away from the counter. “We need those items; you can try again another day. Why don’t we go sit down and wait for our order.”

Kouki pouted but knew not to argue with her. “Yes dear, my bad.” The others already found a place to sit near the entrance and the two were about to join when he paused, seeing a Zebstrika sitting at a table by himself and enjoying a muffin. He grinned, poked Mizu, and pointed at the Zebstrika, her face lighting up as the duo snuck up behind him. “Is that who I think it is!?”

The Zebstrika turned around, puzzled at first before his sharp orange eyes lit up and he smirked. “Oh shit! Didn’t expect to see you guys here! How ya doing?” He held up his hoof.

Kouki gave him a fist bump. “Great, it’s been a long time, dude! What’ve you been up to?”

“Been doing some racing over on the mist continent but figured I’d come back home for a visit,” He tilted his head curiously. “What about you? You two look like you’re doing well.”

Kouki put his hands on his hips, pulling out his badge pridefully. “We’re apprentices at the guild now. Got an exploration team and everything.” He waved at the rest of the group. “Hey! Come meet a friend of ours!”

Light mumbled about how he just sat down as they went to greet him while Misa giggled.

As they approached, L noticed the Zebstrika had a bit of an orange tint to his black coat. His stripes resembled a mixture of flames and electricity, while having a third a horn that resembled a Rapidash’s between the two lightning bolt ones. He was wearing a pair of butterscotch yellow goggles on his forehead, a long scarf wrapped around his neck, and a bag strapped around his waist that matched the color.

“This is Everett! Dude and I go way back. Knew him ever since I was a kid!” Kouki declared, elbowing the Zebstrika playfully. “Everett, this is our friend and leader, Ayaka, and these three are our friends from Team Task Force; L, Light, and Misa.”

“Nice to meet you, I hope Kouki hasn’t been too much of a monster,” Everett joked, offering his hoof.

Kouki laughed and lightly punched him. “As if!”

Misa shook his hoof. “Nice to meet you too, how long have you been here?”

“Ah, I’ve been in Treasure Town for a few hours now,” Everett replied. “Heard there was a new café opened and wanted to see if it was just as good as the one in Twistcreek. Gotta say, I’m really impressed. Plus, it’s not as cramped as the one there.”

“Makes sense, Twistcreek is a much bigger town than here,” Ayaka said, hiding a hint of bitterness in her tone.

“You said it, gives me the chance to stretch my legs,” Everett lightly jabbed his old friend. “So, Kouki, wanna go out running through a dungeon for old times’ sake?”

Kouki rubbed the back of his head. “Aw man, you know I’d love to, but we’ve got work to do today,” He said. “Would you be up for it tomorrow or the day after?”

“Sure, I don’t have to be back in Post Town until sometime next week. Wanna just meet up here?”

“You bet!” Kouki declared and gave him another fist bump.

“Awesome, looking forward to it.” Everett finished his muffin and bowed his head politely. “Well, I won’t take up your time together. Mizu, you keep this guy in check, ‘kay?”

Mizu giggled. “Of course.”

“You’re the best,” He touched his nose to hers. “See ya later, nice meeting you all!” He trotted out of the café, and the group returned to their table, getting settled and waiting for their orders.

Kouki leaned back, his mood even brighter. “Man, I didn’t expect to see my old buddy today.”

“When was the last time you saw him?” Ayaka asked, resting her paws on the table.

Kouki tapped his fingers. “I think… maybe just after Mizu and I started dating and were about to begin travelling together?” He asked himself. “He got invited to the Mist Continent to participate in this big racing event called the Ninjask Cup and ended up getting runner-up. He’s been there ever since.”

“So, he’s a pretty big deal then,” Light commented.

“Yeah, I’m proud of him,” Kouki replied with a big smile. “His dream was to win the whole cup, and maybe this year he’ll do it.”

As he said this, Spinda walked up with their orders, the sweet, fresh scent immaculate as it wafted around them, and they thanked him. L grabbed a wooden fork once his cake was placed on the table and broke off a piece, humming blissfully when taking a bite. It was covered in white fluffy icing with hints of pink and a couple of pecha berries placed on top. He took another bite of the cake, getting icing on his cheeks and sipped on his coffee, wincing. Too bitter. Luckily, Spinda had left a cup of sugar cubes on the table, and he grabbed a couple, dropping them into his cup, stirring, tasting it again, and repeating until it was perfect.

“Heeeeeeeeey, don’t steal all the sugar cubes,” Ayaka complained, snagging them from him. “I wanted some too.”

“Now’s your chance to take some,” L replied, giving her a slight playful grin.

She rolled her eyes, dropping some in her own cup and stirring before taking a sip, humming in satisfaction.

Misa took a bite of hers and Light’s muffin, leaning against the table with a big grin on her face, staring at Kouki and Mizu. “Sooooooooo, how long have you two been together?”

“We’ve been together for two years now,” Mizu replied warmly.

Misa squealed loudly, leaning further over the table and dying to hear more. “Oooooooooo! How did you two meet? Was it love at first sight? Who confessed first?” Both of them tried to respond, but she interjected again. “Wait, no, tell me what you were doing before you met!”

Kouki held out his hand for Mizu to speak first politely, and she hummed. “Well, I was once a performer, but that was a long time ago. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed it, but… after a while, it wasn’t fun anymore and I realized that wasn’t the life I wanted. Around that time, I met Kouki, and he helped me figure out that joining the guild was what I wanted. We met Ayaka a couple months ago, and we’ve been a team ever since.”

“Wow! Do you still perform every once in a while?”

“Um… Only for small audiences.”

“I guess it would be hard to do since it wasn’t fun anymore,” Misa gave her an understanding nod. “That’s really sweet that Kouki helped you though.”

Kouki rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. “Hey, it was all because she gave a punk like me a chance,” He reached up and kissed Mizu sweetly on the cheek, making her blush and she kissed him back. “Heheh, sweetheart. As for me, I came from a family of martial artists in Oran Forest. They taught me everything I know about fighting, but it got to the point where it was boring. I knew exactly how everyone else fought that winning was too easy.”

“You must have been really going through the motions, huh?” Light took a bite of his and Misa’s muffin, intrigued by Kouki’s story and giving his full attention.

A small chuckle fell from Kouki’s lips. “You have no idea. So, I left home, started picking fights with stronger mons, got my ass beat more than a few times, most of which I deserved, and started asking myself what I wanted to do with my skills. Fighting just for the sake of fighting wasn’t sitting right with me. Why did I want to be stronger?”

“Did you figure it out?” Misa asked, wide eyed.

“Yeah. Yeah, I did,” Kouki replied, bursting with pride with his head held high. “It was thanks to Mizu that I discovered I wanted to use my skills to save others. There’s a lot of Pokémon in this world who don’t have the strength we do to defend themselves. It’s not right, so if I could help them, while also protecting the ones I love most, then all my years of training will be worth it.”

“Wow… you’re like a knight in shining armor,” Misa gaped, in awe of Kouki’s resolve. “Mizu, you must be a really lucky girl! Though I’m sure you feel the same about her too, don’t you, Kouki?”

“Of course, she’s the calm to my storm, the one who keeps me grounded when I’m going off the deep end,” Kouki lifted her flipper and kissed it gently. “She’s helped me to be a better mon.”

Mizu rubbed his cheek gently and he leaned into her touch. “And he’s given me the strength to stand up for myself, to be my guide when I’m lost, and to make me laugh every step of the way. I can’t imagine life without him now.”

Their relationship seemed like a fairytale, one that Misa was happily gushing over and desperate to know more. At the same time, the two didn’t seem to mind telling her all the details. They must have been that confident in it to share, or this was just a way to get to know everyone better.

L had a feeling that Kouki was a bit of a hopeless romantic, and it was evident with the way they talked and held each other that they were equally head over heels. They made it look so easy. His claws brushed over the Relic Fragment, longing to have what they had with Ayaka, but how could he after everything they endured? There was no way he could allow himself to even entertain the idea, not until he personally made sure that Decidueye was locked in the deepest prison with no hope of ever escaping.

He owed her that much.  

~~~~~~

A few hours passed since Everett had left the café, or at least he thought it had. Without the sun over his head, there was no way for him to know as he trekked through Labyrinth Cave. He knew going in there was risky, with Gabite lurking in the depths, while the dungeon itself stretched for miles with so many twists and turns, but he couldn’t resist the opportunity of racing through each corridor. It was only a month until the next Ninjask Cup; he had to be sure he was in tip top shape.

But now, he realized that he was completely lost, unsure of how to find his way back. Ha, Kouki would make fun of him for that. Well, it is what it is, sometimes stuff like that happens. He pulled out a piece of paper, feeling a strange psychic power emitting from it and took a quill in his mouth to write down a rescue request.

Keeping this magical paper was a necessity for anyone traveling through the dungeons, since they were how lost clients were even able to send out requests for help in the first place. Maybe Kouki would be the one to rescue him. It would be a good chance to test his skills.

A small gust whipped past him, and he raised his head. He was too far away from the entrance for there to be any breeze. “Huh? Who’s there?”

Another gust rushed by, and he barely saw a shadow zipping through the ground.

He shot up, his chest tightening as electricity charged up in his mane. “Hey! Whoever you are, this isn’t funny!”

Pain seared through his shoulder as an arrow struck him, blood oozing from the wound, and ghostly chains emerged from it, shackling him down. He screamed and tried to escape, unleashing wild bolts that struck the walls around him, hoping that he could somehow knock out his attacker.

A muted gray, almost blue leaf fluttered in front of him and the world around him froze. It couldn’t be. Tears welled up in his eyes and he jabbed his hooves into the chains desperately as a shadow emerged from the ground in the shape of an owl-like Pokémon with a long cloak and cold, deadly red eyes.

“No… nonononono…!” Everett cried out, recognizing this Pokémon from the stories he heard.

Decidueye.

 “Please, let me go! I won’t tell anyone I saw you! Please!” He begged, pushing back against the chains.

The shadowy, murderous bird chuckled ominously, looming over him. “Oh…? How interesting, perhaps I’ll let you live if you answer a few questions. How does that sound?”

Everett nodded frantically, his heart threatening to burst from his chest.

“Have you come from Treasure Town?”

“Y-Yes.”

“I see,” Decidueye made a Leaf Blade appear, carefully sharpening it with his long talons. “I’ve been looking for a Fennekin, though she’s not like a normal one, with fur resembling a Sprigatito.” He pointed it threateningly at Everett. “Has she returned there?”

Shit. Kouki’s teammate. His heart sank. “H-Haven’t seen one.” A gut-wrenching scream tore through his throat as the Leaf Blades slashed his legs, the searing pain making him tremble and collapse as blood poured from the gashes.

Decidueye leaned down, his face inches away from Everett’s, and he could’ve sworn half of the feathers on his face were burned. “Are you sure?”

“Yes, I’m sure!

Decidueye took his chin in his talons, forcing it up. “You poor soul, I know you’re lying to me. That look in your eyes, you’ve seen her.” His talons dug into the Zebstrika’s cheek. “In fact, I’d guess that you’ve even met her.”

Everett growled, questioning the type of Pokémon Kouki teamed up with. But he couldn’t do that to them. Kouki would never forgive him. Drawing up the last bit of courage he had, he spat in Decidueye’s face. “Go to hell!”

A hauntingly maniacal laugh erupted from Decidueye as he dropped Everett. “Only after you,” He snarled, his voice teetering on the brink of insanity as his red eyes burned with bloodlust, before his talons ripped into Everett’s chest, blood spattering everywhere as his screams only made him cackle louder.

As the cries wavered, Decidueye dropped him, wiping his blood on his coat before picking up the unfinished request. He took the quill and began writing on it.

“So, she finally returned. Just as I had hoped. Everything is falling right into place.” He dotted the paper as he said this, and tapped it, sending it out to Wigglytuff’s guild before vanishing into the shadows, leaving Everett alone and gasping for breath as he succumbed to his wounds.