Island One

[Stupid Pinata]

The first island of the Five Islands, it is where the Guild of Seasons is located and is generally quite normal as opposed to the others.
It's seasons constantly change at random intervals with no regard for the laws of physics and a thick fog engulfs it entirely from view and maintains it's sporadic climates without affecting the outside.
Floors: 30
Pokemon:
Snivy, Tepig, Oshawott, Purrloin, Pansage, Pansear, Panpour, Munna, Pidove, Blitzle, Scraggy, Deerling, Blitzle, Roggenrola, Woobat...
[+Evolutions]

 

[Lunatalia]

Client: Sewaddle
Mission:
"These Pidove are trying to eat my family! Stop them, please! I'm begging you!"
Island #: One
Floors: 20

Luna glanced over at her brother, eyes dark with worry. Kanza stared back at her, his expression dark with worry. She could tell from the way that he sat, that familiar pose, that he wasn't feeling open for talking. He was still getting used to the idea of not being alone; she couldn't help but wonder just how long he'd spent on his own, since her leaving. How had he survived? She had so many questions, and so little heart to disrupt his peace. But at the same time...

"Kanza." Her voice was soft and forgiving; she didn't want to bother him, but she had to despite that. "Kanza; we need to find something to eat."

The older Marowak met her gaze in silence, his expression visibly softening. His baby sister. Luna felt her worries fade a little, and she helped him to his feet. "We'll have to forage something, then. There's bound to be something." His voice sounded unsure as he responded, and she knew that he was a little concerned as to how they were to find food for themselves. He'd never been out of the desert before; how was he to know what sort of food opportunities there were, around here?

From where they'd been resting at the cave entrance, they could see very little, aside from what was directly before them. The younger of the pair watched as her brother arose from his place beside her, finally looking as though he was somewhat prepared for the challenges ahead. He did that a lot, in all honesty. Even if he wasn't sure, she could remember him always having the notion that his uncertainty mattered little. She wasn't one to agree, but at least it kept him from moping about.

They were travelling along the coast, now, hoping to find some form of civilization or landmark which would point the way. So far, they'd come across nothing, and their ventures inland had left them with less to show than they'd even had to begin with. They were both tiring rather rapidly. Sooner or later, they'd have to stop moving and just focus on gathering their food and energy. Still, the air was cool and humid. It felt like they didn't have anywhere else to go. They were at the end of the world, immersed in a world of fog.

Kanza pressed the branches back, his gaze somewhat focused on the path ahead. The undergrowth was so thick here, he wasn't used to peering through the leaves. Then again, the torrential rains and wicked sandstorms weren't much different. He just had to be careful about where he walked. The thin black cord that wrapped around his wrist seemed to catch on the surrounding tangle of twigs and branches. He struggled for a moment, trying to shake the branches free of his arm, before taking the time to pause and untangle them bit by bit. It was a little annoying, but it didn't really matter in the long run.

From behind him, he heard his sister call out his name, and the older male immediately twisted, his bone club pressing back the undergrowth to see behind him. Silence greeted him, and he realized that she wasn't behind him at all. There was a sudden blast of heat and light, a powerful fire blast erupting through the undergrowth, and Kanza swiftly dodged downward to avoid being singed. His stubby claws gripped the moist earth, and he kicked himself up from the forest floor once more, charging toward the source of the attack.

He couldn't fathom what kind of self-respecting, fiery being lived in a place like this. It was humid and damp, cooling to nearly freezing after dark. This was anything but a suitable environment for flames. The scorched leaves around him were worsening as he drew toward the faded fireball. He pressed a burning branch back, only to have it dissolve into cinders at his touch, staining his claws black with ash.

Luna crouched low on the ground, the earth black as tar around her, and the sandy earth melted to molten, thilthy glass. While she was untouched, she was not alone. A bizarre-looking formation of rock and ruby-toned crystals broke through the melted sand and scorched earth. It rose back up, the sand bubbling and dripping away from the edges of the rising formation.

He could see Luna's eyes narrow, and the markings on her lithe little body seemed to pale. "Stay back." Her voice was icy and commanding, taking him entirely by surprise. He halted, unsure of what was going on. He felt unease twisting in his guts as he watched the rocks continue to rise. A massive, stone foot rose up from the sand, and crashed down just inches from his sister. He watched her dart backward, running on heated sand. The creature's eyes opened; a fearsome mix of gold and crimson. Tiny black pupils stared them down, and it suddenly struck him that the rocks were indeed alive, sending another shiver racing through his spine. Luna hadn't been telling him to stop, at all; she was warning it.

"Luna. What is it?" Kanza demanded, his voice sharp. Luna didn't respond, staring evenly at the beast. "...Luna?" The Marowak didn't turn her head, but this time she'd heard him. Her grip tightened noticably around her bone club.

"It's a Gigalith."

Kanza's eyebrows shot up. "What in the name of Arceus is a "Gigalith"? He questioned, forcing the calm to curl around his insides.

His sister gave him no time to question further, nor the time to herself to answer, instead grasping him roughly by the wrist and taking off at top speed. He stumbled at first, dragging his heels and slowing them down considerably. Then, as he realized that she was trying to get away, he released her, hurrying to keep up with the swift female. His feet were already moving on instinct, and he leaped straight over a protruding tree root. He could not slow, he could not falter. Something about the grave note to their situation made everything feel of the greatest importance. Adrenaline rushed through his veins, and he could feel his heart in his ears. This was battle.

He felt the sand whip up around their feet, crashing against his heels, and stinging his eyes and nose. Shards of rock and ashes spun freely around them, and he could feel the searing, familiar heat of a sandstorm. It seared with an unnatural sensation; a friction burn from flying sand. The Sandstorm attack was vicious, by far rating on what he'd consider a more serious storm. The debris it carried with it was the worst, however. He was used to sand and rock shards; bits of flying twigs and burning embers wasn't something he was necessarily familiar with. The pressue in the air continued to build, the sensation almost painful. His ears were ringing, the scene before him seeming so far away. It was difficult to run in a straight line, when your ears were needing to pop. He considered yawning to clear his head, but the idea of inhaling so deeply, without the chance to change his mind, was certainly a poor choice in such a heavy storm. He'd only inhale a lung full of sand.

Without warning, the pressure erupted, and the explosion engulfed them all. The last thing he heard was a piercing scream, dissolving into the fierce roar of sand and flames.

- - - - -

Luna awoke, her eyes struggling to focus in the dim light. Her head ached, and her skin felt hot, as though she'd been covered in scrapes and burns. As the memories flooded back, the Marowak choked back a cry of concern. Her throat felt raw and dry; it hurt to breathe, let alone call out. Where was Kanza? Was he safe? Where... where was she?

As her vision focused, the Marowak gazed upward, finding herself staring directly into the thatched grasses of a modest-looking ceiling. A strange-looking figure loomed above her, wide-eyed and curious as ever. Large, dark eyes seems exotic and feminine on the charming, pale face before here. A golden blossom adorned her left ear, and a silky beige coating of fur streamed from the top of her head to the tip of her tail. Flecks of gold were splattered down her spine, and a smooth white underbelly. "Hi there! I'm Sophie!" the Deerling squealed. Her winter coat was dark and luxurious-looking, but it seemed almost too formal for the cheery demeanor of the young girl.

Luna groaned throatily, gesturing to her throat. It was too dry. She needed water, before anything else.

Sophie blinked in surprise. "Well here you go, silly! Why didn't yah just say so?" A gentle Aromatherapy drifted across the Ground-type, the floral, sweet scent soothing her burns and pained throat. Feeling the pain fade away, and the injuries lessening, Luna sat up to examine her surroundings. Sophie wasn't the only one present. Another pair of Deerling, also dressed in their winter best, were releasing Aromatherapy of their own. The soothing atmosphere was somewhat steamy, to her surprise. The air was moist and humid, but it was warmer than it had been around the blast site.

"Thanks... umm... Sophie." Luna gazed toward her brother, lying merely a few feet away. He, too, was rousing, albiet at a much slower pace. Despite the heat of the desert, he wasn't accustomed to fire, and he had been closer to the Gigalith before it Exploded. Her heart went out to him. She knew Fire Blast, and having spent so much time with the guild, it was a move that she'd admit to using on a regular basis. Fire didn't bother her as much as it likely should have.

"How long has he been out?" she questioned softly.

"Roughly three days, perhaps a little less. He's been sliding in and out of consciousness since we came across him," the eldest Deerling replied, her voice serious and stern. She was very different from Sophie; somewhat more refined, despite her very business-like manner. She was not a creature who was afraid of getting her hooves dirty. The Deerling nudged Sophie gently. "I'll take it from here; go help Arianna. She's having difficulty opening up the other one's lungs."

The feminine Marowak frowned seriously, inhaling deeply as the fresh scent of Aromatherapy washed over her once more. Sophie's had been sweet and tangy, like orange blossoms and dewdrops. This Deerling smelled more distinctly of vanilla. "He's fighting to breathe." It was not a question, but it demanded answers all the same.

"Make yourself comfortable. I have a little explaining to do, if I understand correctly. In return, I would appreciate some answers to questions of my own." The Deerling gazed firmly into Luna's eyes, waiting with a surprising amount of patience as the Marowak settled back down to listen. "Now, as I understand it, this man is a friend of yours?"

"Brother," Luna corrected calmly, her gaze flickering back to Kanza's face. "His name is Kanza."

"Ah, of course. I should have guessed; I don't believe that your species generally has such snowy skin pigmentation. Nor do you tend to travel with others outside your kin." The Deerling was nodding as she spoke, eying Luna with an even gaze. "In any case, he is recovering well, despite his injuries. I expect that he'll be well on his way, within a few hours. Sophie has a remarkable talent for Aromatherapy; the patients she treats recover with remarkable speed. I believe this is why you have awoken so quickly. Arianna is less gifted; her energies are used as a sort of supplement. Her abilities are generally used to flush out airborne toxins that might interfere with our work. Without her, it would have taken much longer to reach you within the blast zone. The area was wiped out; over three acres of flattened forest. Viria suspects the damage was done by a combination of Sandstorm, Explosion, and a Fire-based attack."

The Deerling paused, eyes fixated on Luna once more. "Fire Blast," Luna supplied willingly. "A defensive precaution, on my part."

The Grass-type paused, seeming to examine her for a moment. It was not unheard of, for Pokemon to gather unusual movesets. "I see. It was a Gigalith which attacked, yes? Alright. Your story seems to check out appropriately. Now, we have more to discuss than just the situation in which you were injured. We are now on the first island of Five Islands. This is the homeland of The Fifth Generation. I assume that you're familiar with us? You were found along the coast of the mainland, along the shore. The blast probably tossed you and your brother roughly two hundred meters from your original position. Were the pair of you alone?" Once again, the Deerling continued at Luna's nod. "I understand. That will make our recovery efforts less difficult. The blast also took out a nearby boathouse. Equipped with a lighthouse for after dark, it is what we use to make trips directly from the first island to the mainland. Because of your struggle with the Gigalith, we can't make trips after dark, and there must be a fair amount of preparations made before you can return. In the meantime, we require some patience and participation on your part. Once you and your brother have sufficiently recovered, we'd like to ask your help in rebuilding."

Luna nodded wordlessly, thinking on the situation with which she'd been presented. "That shouldn't be a problem; we'll be glad to help fix the damage we caused. And... thanks."

"I am glad to hear it, and it is both my pleasure and my duty. My name is Gin. I'm afraid I didn't catch yours?"

"My name is Luna."

- - - - -

Luna moved with surprising grace for one not fully-recovered. The barren branches of the trees around her was unusual, icicles hanging from the branches, and dripping icy water from their tips. The air was mild and fresh, and it felt good to move about outside again. She'd stayed long enough to wait for Kanza to awaken, explain the situation, and help him settle in. Once he was back resting, she'd decided to have a look around.

Sophie was with her, bounding through the snowdrifts with endless amounts of child-like joy and energy. There were many thing which a child enjoyed that others could not. That kind of childish innocence was certainly one of them. Watching the young Deerling prance about, snow spraying in every direction as she kicked her heels for the sheer joy of it.

Still a little drained from her injuries, and not accustomed to the cold, Luna made no effort to really keep up with the rambunctious Grass-type. If anything, it seemed all the more encouraging for Sophie, anyway. She got to run off, and run back again. Twice the running, twice the fun, as far as Luna could understand. She could never remember being that free-spirited, even as a child. Back home, it would have been a serious waste of food and energy to run around like that. Training sessions were risky enough.

'They have their own hardships and trials, Luna. They deserve this happiness.' Sometimes she had to remind herself more than once, of that fact. She was a visitor; she should know better than to believe that they walked only on the golden curled of sundrenched clouds. Every light casts a shadow, and she just had to keep that in mind.

Sophie returned to her side once more, splattering her pale stomach with snowflakes as she skidded clumsily to a halt. Her grin was nearly ear to ear, Luna mused. It had been a long time since she'd seen an expression so joyful and innocent as that.

"Luuuuuna?" the Deerling prompted eagerly, looking quite excited. "You have holidays where you come from, too, don't you?"

"I'm not sure. I didn't celebrate much when I was little, but I think the guilds have a holiday season."

"You're a guild member, too? Oh, neato!" she exclaimed excitedly, rambling off a few scattered questions. Luna answered them as sincerely as she could manage. "So you're in the Sun Guild? Oh! They visited-ed us... ummm.... a month ago, I think. Or something. Somewhere around Halloween and stuff! It was really fun, and we had this huge festival of the guilds on their fairgrounds! I hope they do it next year, too! It was amazing!"

Luna's expression changed to one of curiousity and concern. "Did you see a Leafeon there? Black fur, gold markings?" If Zori was there, surely there'd be some sort of hope. Some sort of twisted, unusual way in which they might have survived what had happened. The shake of Sophie's head dashed her hopes again, and she felt her heart twist in agony.

Sophie butted her head gently against Luna's arm, and the Marowak rested a reassuring hand on her shoulders in turn. It wasn't that bad, she supposed. As long as she survived, Stormcloud would live on. She had to believe in that. Despairing in lost loved ones was no way to live; you would only be surviving day to day, never truly seeing the chances before you. She smiled faintly to herself; Kanza had told her that, once when she was very little. In truth, it was the same knowledge that she'd used to get through her original separation from him, and when she'd been forced to leave Mitsu behind without getting a chance to tell him. She'd planned to, but nothing that night had gone according to anyone's plans.

"I'm alright, really. I figured that she wouldn't still be around," admitted the Marowak. "It was more of a hopeful idea, than anything else."

The Deerling seemed to nod in understanding, although the wide innocence of her eyes seemed to discredit just how much she really did understand of the situation. She really was more of a child than an adult, Luna realized. Her skills as a medic, and her early mastery over her abilities, were likely the only real reasons that she'd been helping out at the clinic at all. The Deerling that had helped them had already helped far beyond what was expected of them, and she couldn't take that gift for granted. It was a headstart; somehow she'd get through this mess.

 

[Lunatalia]

Kanza was sitting politely at the low, carved wooden table. The surface was smooth and polished, but the edges still rough and natural with bark. He liked it. Although it was unusual, it really suited the rustic, natural feeling of the clinic. He'd never tell anyone else, that, however. They'd just look at him, with their stupid smug grins. Arceus, he hated people.

He gratefully accepted the hot bowl of soup that was passed to him, drawing it to his lips. The hot liquid had a lot of flavour, a surprising variety of herbs and salts flavouring the dish. There wasn't any meat in it, to his mild disappointment, but that negative was quickly overturned by the subtle flow of the flavours that remained. Shortly afterward, he was passed a smooth wooden spoon. He promptly ignored this, continuing to drink it quietly and calmly. He made no typical slurping sounds, his eyes closed as he shut out much of the barbed comments which were directed his way. His sister would deal with them; he frankly didn't have the patience.

The Munna who floated about, passing each patient their dinner was really quite unique. He'd never seen one before, but Luna had explained a little about them before they'd been served. This one was male; a twist he really hadn't expected from something petal pink and covered in violet blossoms. He couldn't imagine living with that predetermined pattern. Luckily, unique coloration was fairly common among Pokemon within the last century. Even shiny Pokemon, as they were known, were becoming more common-place.

The Munna shot him a warning glance, and Kanza felt a chill race through his spine. All of a sudden, he felt quite ashamed to have thought in such a manner. A feminine appearance shouldn't change anyone's quality of life, no matter the situation. The flush of embarrassment, and the diverted gaze seemed to be apology enough for the Munna, as he served Kanza a little more soup as he passed. He felt a little bubble of anger bubble inside him. He felt... oddly violated, all of a sudden. He didn't understand it, but he felt wronged somehow, as much as he felt he'd wronged the Munna in turn.

The Munna disappeared back into the kitchen, and he felt the familiar sensation of hot breath against his skin. "You just got told." His sister's soft giggle echoed in his ear, and he turned to scowl at her.

"How would you-"

"Telepathy is one of his species' special abilities. He's informed me to keep a closer eye on my pet."

The laughter that burbled up around the table was embarrassing enough, and he swore that he could sense a silent, smug presence in his mind. He glared at his soup, devouring the rest of it rather quickly, and departing abruptly from the table. "Well tell him to stay out of my head," he snapped back, already on his way out the door. He had enough trouble keeping his own thoughts in line, dealing with himself as being who he was. He didn't need some smug, smarta** judging his every thought. Weren't one's thoughts supposed to be personal and private?

The chill outside bit into his skin. While it had been in the midst of winter just hours before, the first of the Five Islands was now engulfed in autumn. He found that change kind of odd, in all honesty. Bare trees now clung desperately to life, with glorious hues of orange and gold rippling through the tree tops. It was unexplainable and beautiful, but it did nothing to ease his irritation.

Eager for a distraction, he made his way into the common room of the clinic. There, a leaf-covered primate stood with one of the Deerling nurses from before. He was taller than the Deerling, whose fur was now a shining autumn orange. His eyes were severe and dark with worry, and he spoke in muted, official tones. Clearly the guy was important, whoever, or whatever, he happened to be.

As Kanza approached, the nurse glanced up and spotted him. It turned out to be Gin, the eldest of the Deerling trio. "Kanza, wasn't it? You'll have to excuse me a moment. I have other business that I need to attend to, first." Her voice was strict, but not unkind, and for a moment he really considered stepping back for a moment. Then again, if he could be of any help...

"Is there anything I can do to help?" he asked politely, glancing between the tense pair before him.

Gin tilted her head with narrowed eyes. "Well, actually, you might b-"

The simian next to her seemed to vehemently object to the idea, shaking his head abruptly. Gin froze mid-sentence, biting her tongue and fully composing herself. It appeared that whoever he was, he had a degree of authority at the clinic. Kanza doubted that there would be anything else that could so easily secure a lack of argument from the Deerling. She was too bold to be quieted by someone she held little respect for. "He's a patient, Ginerva. I cannot allow him to go out on business that the guild should be handling. Just because the lazy jerks with fancy titles don't go running off to help, does not mean we can send injured patients to do the work for them." His voice was even more stern than Gin's, and his tone left no room for argument. Still, the mention of guilds grabbed the Marowak's interest.

Gin's gaze was downcast, almost shameful. "My apologies. I'd forgotten, as Kanza is due for release this afternoon." He'd never heard her voice so quiet, and it brought a note of sympathy rising in his chest. He shook off the feeling, not wanting to let his emotions show in his expression.

Surprisingly, the male's expression seemed to change. He now looked thoughtful, his glance shifting to rest on Kanza. "Ah yes; now I remember. You're one of the ones we recovered from that mainland disaster." He didn't pause as the Marowak nodded in response, merely continuing as if he'd gotten no response at all. "I'm the surgeon here; my name is Chive. As you might have guessed, we're in a bit of a predicament. I just finished working on another patient, and he wasn't in the best of shape. A young Sewaddle. This isn't the first time we've seen him, unfortunately. He and his family are constantly appearing under our care for some pretty nasty injuries. It seems they've been under attack for a while, now, and honestly I'm not really sure how to help them. The guild hasn't been able to process their request for help, yet, but I'm worried that the boy won't be able to take another attack. We can't afford to let him go home again, until we're sure it's safe to do so."

Kanza nodded in understanding, the emerald tribal feathers swaying slightly. "Then let me help. I'm skilled in battle; I might be able to provide some sort of protection until we can get to the bottom of whatever's going on," he argued calmly, his eyes narrowing proudly. The green markings beneath his eyes had been something that he'd gone without, for a while during his recovery. Recently, though, he'd been allowed to start putting them on again. His bone club, along with his sister's, was under the care of the clinic staff. Another part of the protocol.

The ringing of a service bell distracted the trio for a moment, and Chive waved a dismissive hand. "Gin, I'm leaving this with you for now. I have to get back to work." He shot a stern glare at Kanza, but the Marowak didn't flinch. "And you; whatever you do, don't screw up. I don't want you dragging this clinic through the dirt, got that?"

He swept himself off in the opposite direction, heading at a fairly brisk pace toward the emergency wing.

Kanza glanced at Gin, but the Deerling was still gazing after the retreating form of the doctor. Her ears were pressed flat, short tail tucked low. A glimmer of concern and admiration was pretty evident in her eyes. "We'll discuss this again shortly. If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to speak with your sister as well."

- - - - -

"I'm going, too," Luna's voice was firm, her arms crossed over her chest. Beside her, a few other members of the patient body and the hospital staff were gathered around. Kanza sat just across from her, while Gin and Sophie stood shoulder to shoulder near the center of the group. The younger Deerling quickly dropped onto her haunches like a dog, sitting with her ears pricked and her eyes wide.

"Luna, we don't even know what's really going on yet. I'm not sure if that would be best," Kanza admitted quietly, his eyes flashing protectively. He didn't want his baby sister getting hurt.

"All the more reason to bring her along, isn't it?" interrupted a young Purrloin, his whiskers twitching with interest. "Your outburst earlier at the dining table was evidence enough of your social skills. You're not experienced enough with others, or with the fifth generation." His voice was a little hoarse and haughty-sounding, and Kanza decided that he wasn't fond of the cat Pokemon. All the same, he couldn't deny the truth in his words.

"Fine. I'll take a hint when I get one," he admitted grudgingly.

Gin flicked her ears back, listening in silence. "I think it unwise to have a pair of foreigners dealing with this on their own, in all honesty. This family's been through a lot; it's hard to say how easily they'll trust you."

"A lot of people have been pretty nervous lately in that area, but most of them won't really talk about it. I mean, I didn't want to press, but they seemed really upset last I spoke with them."

Kanza, alarmed, glanced around for the source of the timid little voice. A fluffy, bat-like Pokemon sat in the rafters of the room, hanging quietly from a wooden beam. Until now, she'd not really made her presence known at all. Still, her words inspired a degree of curiosity. "Wait; you know the family who's been being attacked?"

The Woobat nodded in affirmative. "They have a specialty shop on the lower floor of their home. Clothing, blankets, baked goods. They make a lot of things, if you've got the money to pay for it. My older brother used to work for them, bringing them in supplies for their business from the other islands. Recently they let him go, though. I haven't seen their shop open since."

An uneasy silence settled over the group. Finally, the Purrloin spoke. "Gracie, you should have told us sooner, y'know? We could have done something about it. It sounds like they could really be in trouble, here."

"I know, and I'm sorry.... but they won't let you help. They're too proud, too set on the old ways. Besides, we don't have the authority to butt in, even if people are getting hurt. It could be considered an attack on someone... or worse..."

"I wouldn't be so concerned about that part. I'm a member of Team Stormcloud; a high-class team from the Guild of the Sun. If we can get a hold of the papers, I can claim it as a mission under the guild's name." Luna interrupted, her teal eyes a-glow with old pride. "I just need the paperwork."

Sophie didn't hesitate to pipe up; "So that solves it, doesn't it? Luna and Kanza and go and save the Sewaddle's family?"

Kanza paused for a second, mulling it over. "I'm not sure. I think I'd like to bring someone else along, too, if that's alright. We don't know the area, so having someone who knows about the village and the people here might be a good idea."

"So the great Kanza's having second doubts?" The Purrloin's words were snide and biting. Kanza felt himself itching to argue with him, but he had a feeling that it would be best to just let it lie. If the cat Pokemon wanted to be snotty about it, that was his problem. It shouldn't make a difference to Kanza, whether or not he needed a hand with something. In a case like this, lives were at stake. He felt it better to be safe than sorry. "Well fine, then. I'm going with you two."

Kanza did a double-take, staring openly at the younger male. He was cocky, sarcastic, and arrogant... but he was openly helping them anyway. There was something about his smirk, too; it seemed more sheepish than dominant. It didn't meant that he liked the kid any more, but he at least knew when to stop being a dumba**.

"Well... then I'm going, too!" the Woobat broke in, her voice desperate. Kanza could tell from her voice that the little bat was very worried, but he could also tell from the way that she winced with every wingbeat, that she wouldn't be allowed to go anywhere.

"Those three are due for release from the clinic today. You're still under our care for another week. I can't stop them from going out and dealing with this, but it would not be safe or logical for you to go. I'm sorry, but you really must understand your condition; you have to stay with us."

Gracie, crestfallen, settled onto the nearby table, listening in silence as the others discussed their plans.

- - - - -

Gracie could feel the steady, piercing ache in her wings and shoulders. The others were being signed out that very moment, and she was left alone to wait and listen for any news of their endeavor. Lives were at stake; good people in danger. It was a very serious matter, and as scared as she was, she really wanted to be a part of it. She cared a lot for the family. Julianna, the youngest of their group, was but a Sewaddle. She didn't want to see her get caught up in such violent matters. To make matters worse, now Kafei was caught in the mess as well. What she wouldn't have given to be fit to fly, if only to ensure that her loved ones were safe.

Her face flushed dark, the familiar warmth of a blush spreading across her cheeks. It was embarrassing, to include Kafei as a loved one. They hadn't known eachother for very long, really. He was always friendly and polite with her, but that was all that he was. The Purrloin was a sweetheart, but he showed no interest in her. She was just a fluff without eyes, and no Woobat was worth a second-glance from the likes of him. He was so handsome, and their species so different. She could already feel the sinking in her heart at just the thought.

'Oh Kafei... please be careful.' She didn't have the heart to speak to him in such a way. Even if her throat had let her speak, how would it have affected him? He might never want to speak to her again... but he also might never get the chance to, if things went wrong. Or even worse, she'd spill her heart on deaf ears, or the mission might never be as dangerous as it had been made out to be.

The little Woobat held her head in her wings, the stinging feeling in her chest beginning to well up. Like the feeling of tears in the eyes of most, instead she felt it where it meant the most; her heart. If she'd only had the courage to wish him luck before he left, to tell him how she felt. She was so lost, so confused.

How was she ever to look Kafei in the eyes again? Even if she were blind in sight, there was nothing to say that she couldn't feel his gaze on her. She knew if he looked at her, and she fully understood that she might never be able to forgive herself if Kafei got hurt. She just wanted to tell him, but with the Purrloin already headed off to save the day, she'd likely never see her hero again.

He'd never come back for her; this place had bound his freedom, and kept him trapped without the chance to run as he so loved. To her, they'd shared a bond. To him, she knew nothing of what he felt for her, if he felt anything at all.

Unable to take flight, and leave her earthbound sorrows behind, she merely clung more tightly to the rafter. The sting of heartache would little fade over the next few hours, with any luck, and she could continue about her usual day. She just wished that it didn't hurt so badly to think about that, or that she could remember what her days were really like before she'd met Kafei.

- - - - -

Kanza twisted to glance back at the Purrloin behind him, his mouth curved to form a grimace as the younger male explained more about the room around them. Broken glass covered the floor, the dust having settled onto it. It seemed as though no one had been there for quite awhile, although Kafei seemed determined to believe that the family hadn't yet left their home. He couldn't see how it was possible, but strategically, it made sense to huddle up and hide somewhere. He almost hoped that the Purrloin was wrong; the group would be in quite the sorry state when they were uncovered, and more than likely quite distraught. He didn't know what to think of that, instead returning his focus to the physical evidence before his own eyes.

"Kafei?" His sister's voice was smooth and focused, the female already slipping straight back into the more formal, task-oriented mode that she maintained on her usual missions. The younger Marowak was all business, it seemed, when it came to guild work. He couldn't say that the fact surprised him, but it was an interesting change from the usual. She'd been quite soft-hearted, as a child. "I believe you might be right about them. This silk is still clean. It can't have been dropped here very long ago, considering how much dust is on everything else."

The Purrloin frowned, moving to investigate it, and tripping over the edge of the rug. As he did, the corner flipped up, revealing a rather odd-looking gap in the floorboards. Kanza's interest was immediately drawn to it, and he hurried to the Purrloin's side. The younger male curled his spine, drawing his hind legs and tail away from the gap as Kanza fought to get his short fingers into it. When that failed, he instead twirled his club around, using the thinner, sharper edge to chip away at the boards surrounding, and widening the gap. By now, Luna was also crouched nearby, and Kafei had found his paws quickly enough to step off the rug.

He set his club aside, satisfied with the size of the gash in the wood, and dug his fingers into the crevice. He could feel the edge of it, now, curling his fingers so that they met the underside of the wooden boards. "Luna," he warned quietly, "Stay ready, just in case." He recieved a nod, and heaved upward on the boards, the great floor rug sliding off as he did so.

He felt something sharp meet his ankle and he hissed, only to find his sister barreling into the creature at his feet, the pair of them tumbling earthward. Within seconds, Kafei had joined the clashing females below, and Kanza had the trapdoor wide open, opening the musky, damp space to the light.

The odd-looking Pokemon cried out, shielding her face with her arms. Luna grabbed her by the arms, and held her still, forcing her to halt her attack on the trio around her. "Hey! Cut it out, we're here to help you!" Kafei snapped, looking irritated and impatient. "We're on your side, dolt." Luna twisted and arched her eyebrow at Kafei, shooting him a rather skeptical, disapproving glance. Kanza merely rolled his eyes at the inexperienced, younger male. He needed to learn to hold his tongue, helpful as he could be.

"What happened to your family? Are you alone, here?" Luna questioned, decidedly ignoring any further remarks from the Purrloin behind her. Her voice was serious and calm, but the Pokemon in front of her just struggled against her, unwilling to say a word in response. It was at that moment that Kanza realized something; anyone could claim to be of help. It didn't make matters easier. Even with Kafei there, the stranger likely didn't trust them at all.

"My sister's a member of the Sun Guild. Team Stormcloud. Have you heard of them?" he asked suddenly, his green eyes narrowed a little as he watched the expressions shift on the stranger's face. She shook her head "no". He gritted his teeth for a moment, but continued. At least she'd stopped squirming. "She's here to help you, alright? We're here to save your family."

The insect-like Pokemon finally relaxed, and he watched as his sister hesitantly released her grip, allowing the other female to move about. "Where are the others?" she questioned once more, her voice soft. She'd tilted her head a little, so that the older female met her gaze.

"We don't need your help." Her voice cracked with age, and the dulled look in her eyes seemed to prove her weariness. Still, there was an unmistakeable aura of pride around her, and he couldn't see her true face behind the weathered, wooden mask that she wore. Something about this woman made her easy to respect. "We have too much to deal with, without the likes of you invading on our home. Your intentions, while good, have unveiled our safe haven. We're as vulnerable as newborns, thanks to your 'help'."

Neither Luna nor Kanza seemed to flinch at the reply, both looking calm and focused as ever. It was Kafei that shifted uncomfortably under the mocking, prideful tones of the elder. "Pride gets people killed. We've somewhere safer to hide, and protection to offer." He admired the firmness in his sister's voice, so different from the shaky, shy tones that he was used to.

"...You people don't take hints very easily, do you?" grumbled the old female.

Kanza chuckled quietly, stepping back out of the shadows so that she could see his face a little better. "Apparently my social skills are too poor for that." Beside him, he could hear Kafei snickering in response. He politely ignored the younger male, but inwardly he felt himself surpress a chuckle. That was one of his better moments, he supposed. Regardless, he'd still a job to do. His sister, at the very least, was finding it easy to stay serious. "Consider it business, madam. We're both gaining from the work, regardless."

The suspicious, elderly female eyed him with an expression akin to anger, the emotions bubbling just behind the surface of her shadowed eyes. "Consider it dealt with. And get out." Her voice was cold, and Kanza nudged an elbow sharply into Kafei's shoulder, urging silence from the disgruntled Purrloin. "Your help is unwanted here, and so are you. ...And you. Purrloin. Keep the likes of your kind away from me. All of you freaks."

At this, the male bristled, his eyes burning with fury at the unjust response. "What did I ever do to you? I could say the same for you, Leavanny, but I prefer to despise your character, not your species." Kafei's voice seemed to only chill the room, the four Pokemon swallowed by a tense silence that he feared might never break. There was no more to be said as Luna nudged Kafei back toward the hatch in the floor, and Kanza stood guard, watching the Leavanny behind them. Only the creak of old hinges told him that they were above ground again, and he followed shortly, closing the hatch behind him, and sweeping the rug over the gap. They had no more to say, here.

- - - - -

Kafei lay in silence, further from the fire, and listening to the pair of Marowak discuss their next plan of action. After today, he wasn't at all sure if he even wanted to help the Sewaddle family. That old Leavanny had been so awful, so cruel. He'd never done anything to her, and he'd only ever wanted to help them. That the woman had so blatantly and openly insulted him for what he was... that hurt. He didn't know how to respond to it, other than with anger. Thinking back to the injured youth in the clinic, however... how could he just leave the family to suffer? That wasn't right, either. He didn't know what to do, and he really wished that Gracie was here with him.

Gracie. She was sweet and soft; everything about her just screamed it. Well, perhaps even to say that was wrong. Screaming wasn't something that she did, quiet as she was. Even when she was surprised, all anyone could ever encourage from her was a quiet squeak. It made him smile, to remember it, the mental picture of the tender-hearted Woobat filling his head. But, if she were here... what would she say about how he felt right now? The smile quickly faded from his face, his brow furrowing instead into a silent frown.

She'd tell him to do what was right. She always did. The question lay in only what "right" was. Gracie would know, for sure, but he doubted that she'd tell him outright. That patient, shy smile would be waiting for him when he figured it out on his own.

Kafei sighed miserably, curling up with his back to the flames, resting his chin on the bare dirt. He could see the flickering shadow of his lithe body, cast across the trees and brambles behind him. The air was warming, and not just from the fire. He thought it likely that they were to undergo another change in season, soon. Whenever he awoke, it would likely be spring or summer, instead of the frigid air of autumn. He just wished that sleep would actually come, instead of hovering over his head like a prize he could not reach.

"I'm going back tonight." Kafei's ears twitched at the sudden announcement from Kanza, but he didn't turn to look, instead feining sleep so that he wouldn't disturb the conversation already in progress. It wasn't likely to work, as both the pair had watched him roll over, but he was sure they'd appreciate the gesture. He didn't know what they were talking about, anyway. He didn't know why anyone would want to go back to that horrid, brutal old woman.

"...Before you say anything, it's not up for debate. I'd like to go and have a look around under the cover of darkness. With any luck, the old hag will be sleeping, and I won't run into any trouble."

"It's not going to be a debate. If you want to go, just keep yourself hidden. That woman-" Kafei rolled his eyes at the correction she made. "Hag" suited her better, in his opinion. "-made it pretty clear that she didn't want us anywhere near her."

"I wasn't planning to knock on the door, if that's what you mean." Kafei nearly snorted. Luna was alright, but Kanza really had a sick sense of humor. He seemed like a guy who'd been through a lot, and didn't get a lot out of it in return. "Don't fuss over me, alright? It's just a quick look around. I know what I'm doing, Luna."

For a moment, there was only the soft sounds of their breathing, and the crackle of the fire. It went like that for several moments, before he realized that he could no longer hear Kanza nearby. He twitched, stealthily shifting his head to peer back at where the two Marowak had been. His heart leaped into his throat, flattening his ears in embarrassment. Luna was staring straight at him. "...Err..."

The female sighed quietly, rolling her eyes. "Just go, already," she ordered, her voice smooth and toneless as she gestured off toward the village in the distance. It was, for the most part, abandoned; there had been a lot of people leaving the area, once the Sewaddle family had been attacked. Those who remained were careful to keep themselves hidden, turning their lights out at night and rarely venturing outside. Kafei was well aware of this. Even from within the confines of the clinic, he'd long since heard about what was going on. None of this was new to him in any way. Still, it didn't exactly put his heart at ease. This was just... wrong in so many ways. There was little else to say about it.

He kept quiet as he moved about, trying to keep to the shadows, just so that he would be more thoroughly-hidden from view. There was always the off chance that someone might be out and about, and he didn't want to raise any sort of suspicion, or gather any more attention than they already might have. He still had a family to go home to, after all of this was through. He didn't want to put them at risk...

Kanza's scent was easily tracked, and the short-legged Pokemon quickly traced it back toward the house they'd come from just hours before. Sure enough, Kanza had gone straight back through the broken window. Personally, Kafei found that a tad risky. He'd have liked to have made another, separate entrance for himself, just in case... but it would be safer to just follow Kanza's path, he supposed. He could see no signs of commotion, and the older male had only just passed through. It was likely fine as it was. Without any further hesitation, he slipped in through the open window just behind where the Marowak had led.

The Purrloin skirted around the edges of the room, taking note of the shifted rug and the opened trap door. Kanza's scent led straight down the passage, and the Dark-type followed it. He could see the faint outline of the Marowak as he made his way down the tunnel. Kafei hadn't really noticed before, he supposed because of the rather hostile Leavanny that they'd run into, but it went quite a ways back into the earth. There was very little light, but it seemed not to bother either of the pair as they made their way down. His well-practiced stealth seemed to pay off, and he realized that Kanza had no idea that the younger male was just feet behind him in the tunnel.

It wasn't until they reached the end that both Pokemon paused, staring openly at what they found. A whole group of Sewaddle and their evolutions. Eleven pairs of eyes stared nervous back at them, and Kanza shifted so that he could see both them and Kafei behind him. The Purrloin suppressed a hiss of irritation; the Marowak had known he was being followed. He'd have to try harder, next time. There was no point in wasting energy on stealth if you'd already been discovered.

Curling his tail, he stepped forward to join Kanza, blinking curiously at the group. Unlike the older female, this group seemed... calm, if anything. Perhaps a little unnerved at being discovered, but there was no hostility in their expressions. Just a quiet unease.

"...Momma.... who're they?" squeaked a young Sewaddle, hiding just behind the slim legs of his mother. She was young, despite the role she played in her family. Inexperienced and nervous, the young mother didn't respond. She just stared ahead, as though just waiting for the attack they seemed to expect would occur.

"My name is Kanza; this is Kafei. We're friends, I promise. We're not here to cause any trouble for you." the Marowak soothed in reply. Some of the young Pokemon seemed to settle a little, but most of the older ones continued to stare evenly at the duo before them. In particular, a young Swadloon continued to glare at them. The youth wasn't terribly fond of having strangers scare his family like this, and besides; after all that had happened... how could they trust anyone? "I swear on my life," he added, setting his deadly bone weapon onto the ground beside him.

He moved slowly, never losing his focus on the group before him, though he dared to take his eyes from their figures. This, if anything, seemed to soothe the group. Besides him, Kafei raised his paws innocently, shaking a little as one of the two Leavanny in the group poked him in the center of the chest. "Woah, h-hey! I'm unarmed!" He mewed nervously, sensing the silent threat. For perhaps the first time since Kanza had met the boy, it was obvious how young he was. His voice was still high-pitched enough to squeak, so he couldn't have been fully-grown. The Leavanny seemed to agree, and a sheepish smile touched his lips.

"S-sorry. You can't be too careful..." Now that Kanza studied him, he caried a familiar clumsiness about him; he was newly-evolved. Though he looked older, in truth he was probably about Kafei's age.

Kanza tilted his head slightly, glancing across the eleven hidden Pokemon that they'd discovered. Aside from the two Leavanny, there was also five Swadloon. The two remaining Sewaddle were very young, and one of them in very poor health indeed. His sputtering, wheezing breaths were weak with illness. It was hard to say how long it had been since the child had fallen ill, but Kanza knew that it had been too long without proper care. "That child is very sick." It wasn't something that needed to be pointed out, persay, but merely a statement of the truth. "How long has he been this way?"

The mother, who held him tight in her arms, merely hugged him closer, looking a little more nervous than before. She looked as though she were on the verge of tears, when the other Leavanny rested a delicate hand on her shoulder. "...Sis..."

She relented, her shoulders seeming to drop in defeat, and she held the sick child out for Kanza to hold. Without question, he accepted the baby, pressing a gentle hand to his forehead to check his temperature. "He's been sick for weeks, but... it's not safe for us aboveground anymore. Where would we go?"

The Marowak's gaze was sharp as he looked up toward the two siblings, the clear elders of the group around them. "Your sister's baby will die if he doesn't get treatment. He has pneumonia, and hiding underground where it's this cold and damp... Whether or not you choose to follow, I'm taking him back to the clinic. If you come with us, I'll ensure that you're kept safe; such places are meant to be for peace and healing. At the very least, it will be a safe place to stay until you can find somewhere else to hide."

The mother stepped forward, reaching out for her child. The light shifted over her form as she did, revealing the scars across her throat. The woman was mute, and she seemed more nervous than ever. Kanza hesitated, looking the mother in the eyes. Her daughter, a little older than the baby he held in his arms, still shifted to keep behind her mother's leg. "Will you come with us, for your baby's sake?" His voice was quiet, but he left no indication that he would return the baby if she disagreed. He would take the child if that's what it took to save it's life.

She swallowed, looking very pale, and finally nodded in agreement. She held out her arms again, and this time the baby boy was returned to her.

- - - - -

Luna stared blankly at Kanza, the whole group gathered around a quiet fire, and settled down onto the warm earth. It was summer on the island, now. This constant shifting of seasons was certainly offputting, for outsiders like herself and Kanza. "We can't bring them into the clinic, Kanza." Her voice was firm, though sympathetic. Both her elder brother and Kafei beside him frowned. "Someone's trying to kill them; what would happen to the staff, and the other patients, if they tried something while they were being treated?"

"Luna; that baby is sick. He needs help. ...You needed help, too... Cecilia." His voice was so soft that she alone could hear him, and the angry flush that lit her face was confusing to all but her brother.

"I know, Kanza. I know. Just... let's find somewhere safer for the others to hide. We'll bring the mother and child with us, so they won't be as conspicuous, but it's harder to keep a larger group under wraps." As she glanced toward the mute female, the Leavanny gestured sharply to the young daughter at her feet. "...It might be safer to leave her with the others," she suggested sensibly, but the mother frowned in disagreement.

"...She'll come as well. If only for the security of her family, it might be best to keep immediate family bonds intact. Mother to child, sibling to sibling; they'll think more calmly, that way. We don't need anyone taking risks to try and see each other."

"There's just one problem." Everyone turned toward Kafei, as the young Purrloin lay on his belly, legs crossed in front of him. A young Swadloon was sleeping against his side, though Kafei didn't seem particularly comfortable with it. He was tolerant, for a male of his age. "Who's going to take care of the rest of them? Where are they gonna stay? It's not like we have a super-secret bunker with built-in security. They need a safe place to rest; somewhere without damp darkness and moldy blankets."

"The nurse's quarters will do, until we can think of a more practical solution."

Kanza glanced sharply at his little sister. "Can you convince them to go along with our plan?" he questioned urgently. He watched her hesitate, but the conviction in her eyes as she nodded was good enough for him. He had faith in his sister. "...Go then. Take Kafei, the mother and her children with you. When it's safe, send word to us and we'll join you. Until then, try to stay quiet about their identities. It's imparitive that they stay safe."

 

[Lunatalia]

It was hours before their little group returned to the clinic, and although the nurses were hesitant to allow the fugitives into their homes, they were eventually convinced; especially on seeing how ill the baby Sewaddle really was. The child was rushed to the emergency, leaving Gin and Arianna with the distressed mother and her family. Luna and Kafei could only look on in distress, waiting, hoping.

The Purrloin was the most uneasy; he'd never experienced hardships as a child, so... all of this was really quite new to him. He was in awe of the way that the clinic nurses dealt with the situation, how easily they adapted. Did they... end up in these situations often? It was so hard to say; taking everything in stride was probably something that you became good at, after seeing so many of the sick and injured.

Looking sullen, the youth stared blankly into the summer's night sky. Beside him, Luna sat in silence, seeming to vaguely listen to the rushed, whispered conversation of the nurses. "I'll send you back for Kanza and the others soon. ...They say they need more time to prepare for refugees, if we can give it to them. I normally wouldn't agree, but... I know Kanza will keep them safe."

The male glanced briefly at her, his ears twitching from the lost tone in which she spoke. She sounded as though she was remembering the past, rather than worrying for the present and future. It irked him a little, but... at the same time it made him very curious. "...You've.... done this before, haven't you?"

The Marowak didn't answer for a brief moment, her snowy white hands gripping more tightly on the bone club that she held. "...Many times. It's a big part of my work, trying to find lost Pokemon, find a killer. I've never had to do it somewhere so civilized as this, but... yes. I've done this before." Her voice was so quiet that it sounded nearly as though she were about to cry. But she didn't; Kafei had to give her that, at the very least. Luna was strong in a lot of ways.

There was a long, winding silence between the two, and Kafei found himself drawn into the whispers of the wind in the trees. The leaves rustled softly, a noise more peaceful than any he'd hear in autumn. The flowers blossomed sweetly, still spreading their petals from the time that the seasons had passed to summer.

"...What about... Cecilia?" His large, green eyes met Luna's teal ones. The question was innocent, but there was a clear hint of accusation, too. He didn't like that she'd had to be convinced to bring the child.

Luna glanced at him sharply, her eyes blazing with anger for a brief moment, but the emotion was lost as swiftly as it had come. She looked away, closing her eyes. The frown never left her face. "I... She was abandoned as a hatchling, and left to die because they didn't believe she would be strong enough. She was born sick, and blind in one eye. That was her fault." If she was hurting, she hid it well. Kafei couldn't tell anything about what she was thinking, now, but he knew that her words made him angry. He didn't care what she was feeling.

"It's never anyone's fault, that they were born a certain way! If a baby needs help, you give it to them!" he snapped fiercely, his ears flat against his head. His violet tail lashed in anger as he drew himself to his paws. "I thought that's what a guild member does, or do you just throw that title around because you can?!"

She, too, rose to face him, staring hard into his eyes. "What happened to Cecilia wasn't my fault." Her voice was dangerous, now. Kafei didn't care; it didn't change what she'd nearly done to the Sewaddle child, to the anxious mother who was risking her life to try and get help for her baby.

"And I suppose you wouldn't have done the same thing, if Kanza hadn't gone whispering in your ear, right?" He sunk his claws deep into the earth, his whole body trembling with anger.

"I didn't know the baby was sick."

They were both quiet for a moment, the tension slowly dissolving between them. "...You didn't... Then why would Kanza...?"

"He didn't want me to waste time arguing about it. What's distant past for me... it's something that he has to face every day. He saved Cecilia as a baby and raised her himself. She would have died without him. ...And then he lost her. Someone they traveled with attacked them. I thought Kanza was dead for the longest time, and then he found me. He saved me again."

"Cecilia. That's your name... isn't it?"

"It was. It means "Blind One", from what I understand." Her voice was so bitter that it caught him off-guard. The Marowak was capable of a surprising range of emotion, especially in comparison to her brother.

He hesitated, choked by his own nerves. He didn't know what to say. He'd have wanted to change his name, too, if his parents had named him for his weaknesses, the parents that had abandoned him. Still... He didn't want to just say that. Even to someone like him, it sounded awkward. What was he supposed to say?

"...That's not what it means."

Both Pokemon jumped, for they hadn't heard the shiny Woobat approach. Her wings were wrapped tight to her torso as she hung from the edge of the rooftop behind them. "Gracie-"

Luna interrupted him, her voice quiet and pained. There was so much conflicted emotion in the Marowak's eyes that it was difficult to understand just what was going on, or what she was feeling. "I don't understand... Why would Kanza lie to me?"

The Woobat shifted her wings awkwardly, frowning. "Perhaps he didn't understand as well as he thought he did. I'm not sure. Cecilia means to be blind to one's own beauty. Whoever named you Cecilia named you to be humble, to grow to be beautiful. That's a great gift, Luna." Her voice was so soft and timid that Luna was left without a word to say. Confused, she merely excused herself and left, heading back toward the nurse's sleeping quarters in silence. It was clear that she needed time to think, but it was yet another few minutes before either Kafei or Gracie spoke again.

Kafei watched her go. "...Is that true?"

"Who would know better than the blind girl?" It was a sad attempt at a joke, made all the more feeble by the tremor in her voice, but there was a note of honesty to it that made him smile. Gracie was the sweetest Pokemon he'd ever met, though he wouldn't admit that to her face. If someone heard him... Especially if she didn't feel the same way. She was so sweet to everyone; how could he ever tell the difference?

"...Did you see the baby?"

She stopped and looked at him, her eyes full of sadness. "They don't know if they'll be able to save him, Kafei... He's so tiny, even for a Sewaddle..." She wiped her eyes with her wing, shifting to try and hide the gesture from him. Kafei noticed, anyway, and gestured for her to come closer. Awkwardly, he hugged her close, and she seemed to just settle against him. "I've never seen a baby that sick..."

Kafei swallowed nervously, but forced a soft, soothing purr into his throat. She was so sad for that little baby; he had to do something to make her feel better. "...Grace, this is the best place in the world for that baby right now. You know Gin and the others; they won't let anything happen to him." She nodded feebly, drawn away from him slightly. Tears still welled in the corners of her eyes. She cried so easily... but he loved that about her, in a weird sort of way. It meant she cared. It meant she cared quite a bit.

Shifting, he curled his tail around one of the garden's daylilies, plucking it gently from it's plant. It was a soft, warm orange. A beautiful colour, really. Then, without thought for what he was doing, he took it into his paws and tucked it in against her fur, so that it nestled there safely. It was a natural beauty that... somehow didn't clash with her green fur. Gracie had a way of doing that; of looking beautiful no matter what. The heat under his fur told him that he was blushing, and he was grateful for the darkness that hid how shy he felt.

Gracie looked surprised by the gesture, too openly shocked to really react in any way. He hoped that he hadn't crossed a line, somehow. "There's... there's another Sewaddle here, isn't there? He's from their family, I think. Let's go and see if the baby's mom wants to see him," he offered quietly, turning away toward the clinic doors.

Just outside his field of vision, he missed the smile that lit Gracie's face. The sweet tenderness of her expression, and the wing she raised to feel the silken petals of the lily in her fur. She was blushing, visibly so, and had he noticed it at all, he might have had the courage to tell her then and there. His deepest secret, and the only thing he'd never told her.

'...Please be happy, Gracie... Even if you'll never love me, please don't cry. You deserve to smile.'

- - - - -

The boy was silent for the longest time, making the reunion between family members all the more awkward. He didn't look happy to see them. Then again, he never looked happy. Ever. Nor did he actually speak... ever. He was a strange boy indeed. Luckily, the Leavanny seemed not to mind, as she fell asleep within a few minutes of arriving in the room. Her daughter, only slightly older than the baby in intensive care, hadn't even been awake to begin with. It was probably one of the more boring family visits that Gracie had ever witnessed.

"They look cheerful, don't they?" he muttered sarcastically. He seemed irritated, judging from the way that his ears were twitching, but he was probably still listening to her. They'd excused themselves to fetch something to eat, but... truthfully it was just awkward to be in there for very long. She hoped that underneath the strain of that meeting, they had been truly happy to see one another again. It really would be a sad thing to have their family so upset again. She wished only the best for them.

"Christopher never is," was all she responded, her voice still quiet as ever. "He's always like that, whenever he comes into the clinic. I don't think even Sophie's seen him smiling... He must be a very lonely person," she added, turning to face Kafei as the Purrloin trotted alongside her. "Still... You'd think that he'd at least open up to his own family. He must have been worried about them, with all that happened."

The feline shrugged, glancing up at the little Woobat. "Maybe. Maybe he just doesn't like his aunt." His voice was dry as he suggested it, and he stopped just in front of the front desk, stretching up onto his hindpaws to snatch an apple from the basket on the countertop. It looked tasty... sort of. She wished that she could see it as Kafei described it, but echolocation brought no colour to her life. It was an echo of sound; that was how she "saw" the world. At least it smelled sweet.

She settled onto the counter beside him, resting her weary wings as she plucked a second, smaller apple from the basket. She munched in silence, listening to the sounds around her. She didn't mind too much that Kafei wasn't talking; he was comfortable with silence, and that was fine by her. It let her stop and listen, without feeling alone. The hushed noises of his breathing were a comfort to have beside her.

The apple was as sweet as it smelled, the juices cool and tangy on her tongue. It was a welcome change from the usual, more neutral foods that they were fed in the cafeteria, but she knew that she probably wasn't supposed to be eating it. It was for guests, not patients. ...Maybe it would be okay; after all, she was going home soon. She wasn't anywhere near as sick as she'd been when she first arrived.

The lily felt heavy to her, but perhaps that was because her wings were so small. Woobat weren't known for their strength in flight; they were essentially tiny, with a lot of light-weight fur. Still, she loved it dearly. It was a gift, and she'd treasure it for as long as she could.

An odd noise echoed from Christopher's room. The sound of shattering glass. Curious, the Woobat glanced at Kafei. "...Someone broke something in Chris' room," she murmured quietly. "Can you see through the window?"

The Purrloin shot her a sympathetic glance. "The blinds are down, Gracie. I'll go and see, alright?"

She waited in silence, listening to the muffled noise of pawsteps on cold stone floors. She didn't quite know how to describe the noise, but she listened for it's familiar rhythm all the same. Her fur stood on end, for reasons even she did not understand. Something felt very wrong about the situation, and her fears were confirmed when Kafei stopped in the doorway.

"He's gone... They're gone... It looks like someone grabbed them and took them out through the window... Gracie, there's blood on the floor! The Leavanny.... Murder! Help!" His voice was strangled-sounding. "Help! Someone!" It heightened in volume, the Purrloin shouting across the clinic compound to try and gather someone's attention. Someone had to come...

Luna was there in a heartbeat, and Gracie glided down to settle on the floor beside Kafei. She could hear the relief in Kafei's voice to find Luna at his side, and Arianna, one of the younger clinic nurses, trotted into view just behind her. "Luna, Arianna... Help, someone took Christopher... the girl, her baby- ...We weren't watching, I-I'm sorry!"

A burst of Aromatherapy hit the air, soothing tensions at once. It seemed that Arianna, at least, wasn't losing her head. "Kafei, calm down. We'll find him, I promise." For Gracie, the voice was familiar. It was a small, high-pitched voice, but it was very pretty. Delicate like a summer orchid. She made a lovely nurse, even if she didn't have the same gift of strength that Sophie had, or the strict command that Gin did. She had a way of soothing anxiety that Grace had never noticed in anyone else. It was all the more surprising, then, that she wasn't recognized for her skills... but Sophie was.

Gracie shook herself a little, trying to shake off the groggy effects of the Aromatherapy. This was important! She couldn't be drowsy or wandering in her thoughts like that! "Luna, can you-"

"I've got it covered. I'll find them." There was zero hesitation in her voice, and the Purrloin beside her immediately brightened with hope. Grace barely registered that Luna left, the Marowak moving into the room and leaping headfirst out the window through which Chris had disappeared.

The Woobat hovered a little, her wings beating fast out of anxiety. "W-we'll go, too!" she offered hopefully, worried for the safety of the children and the Marowak who'd set out to save them.

Arianna looked shocked. "...Gin would never allow that, Grace; there's no way..."

This time, Kafei stepped in. "I'll go with her. We can warn Kanza and the others on our way; we'll be fine, I promise." His voice was full of determination and strength, though it barely seemed to break the panic that he'd dissolved into only moments ago. She could hear the tremble in his voice, and beat her wins a little harder to disguise it. Ari had to let them go; she just had to!

Arianna hesitated, frowning as she looked between the two of them. For a brief moment, she seemed to stare upward at Gracie, and the bright orange lily tucked into her fur. Then, with a soft sigh, she nodded. "Be back before midnight; that's when Gin takes her shift. If anyone finds out about this, I'm in big trouble." There was a note of worry in her voice that could not be mistaken.

"We'll be careful, Ari... We will." The little Woobat fluttered down to hug the Deerling, who flushed in embarrassment, and flattened her ears. Grace could tell that the young nurse was yet unsure about her decision, but they'd just have to rely on what they had. People's lives were at stake, and they had to do something.

"Goodbye..." Arianna murmured quietly, watching them go with the saddest eyes one had ever seen.

- - - - -

Luna sprinted through the trees, her heart beating fast against her ribs. The trail of blood was surprising, but the feathers that littered the path seemed all the more worrying. Pidove. She felt sure now that Christopher and the little girl had been kidnapped, for there was no other way that the young Sewaddle could have disappeared so swiftly from the room. The woman, too... She'd not seen a murder committed that swiftly in a very long time. Someone had a heart of solid ice. She worried for the children's safety, especially considering just how much blood there really was. It felt strangely foreign, to see so much blood. Surely it couldn't have all been from the Sewaddle? There was just too much of it to be from the two children.

The Marowak jumped, springing over a fallen log and bounding forward from the other side. She couldn't move fast enough, in her opinion. The footprints she followed were unfamiliar to her. They seemed bipedal, rather large in comparison to her own. Three toes, a large pad. She didn't know; the Pokemon on this island... while she might recognize some by appearance, she didn't know all of them, and certainly she didn't recognize their footprints on sight.

The trail disappeared. She tore through the undergrowth, the tree roots. Anything in sight. She found no trace of the Pokemon who'd taken the children.

Frustration boiled inside of her. She didn't know what to do, at this point. Slowing down, she realized that she needed a proper plan of action. Something to give her the advantage. It was tricky, considering that she didn't know what she was getting herself into. She just knew that she wanted to save those children's lives. She paused, suddenly remembering the one person that might be able to help her. Without hesitation, she switched tactics and sprinted off toward the Tailor's Shop.

- - - - -

Gracie soared high over the trees, watching Kafei run beneath her. Her wings ached, but she didn't care. It was still easier to fly up here than it was down in the trees with Kafei. From high above, she could see the path ahead, the sound waves she sent returning into the clearest picture possible. Though she couldn't see things like puddles or markings, the little bracelet on the ground was entirely simple to find.

Angling her wings, she spiraled toward the ground in an easy glide. She didn't want to rush, for fear of straining her recovering body. Already her chest felt tight, and she knew that she would have to be very careful about how she tried to help Kafei. Anything too strenuous could result in her going straight back to the clinic from which she'd just left.

Dropping down to ground level, she reached in under the underbrush, pulling the muddied chain from the grass. It was a charm bracelet; so small it was almost sure to belong to a child. She studied it for a moment longer, feeling the metal under her fingers.

"Grace? Gracie, I've lost the trail." Kafei's voice was a little unnerved, and she could sense him pacing about nearby, searching the skies for any sign of her that he could find.

She straightened, beating her wings slightly to rise above the bushes. "Kafei; this way," she called, craning her neck to see him. He joined her within a few moments, with bits of leaves and twigs sticking out of his fur. The sight made her smile, though it was yet a grim expression indeed. "...Does this belong to the girl?" She held it out, cupping the fragile little charm bracelet in the folds of her little wing.

"Yeah... I think so," the Purrloin mewed, nodding solemnly as he spoke. "At least, she was wearing some sort of bracelet. I don't think I can remember exactly what it looked like, but... I mean, how many charm bracelets can there be in one spot? It's got to be it." He didn't sound so sure, at least not as much as he'd been when he first spoke. She felt a stab of pity for him; there was a lot of pressure riding on the results of their efforts. They couldn't let anything happen to those kids.

"Let's look around; see if we can't find where they've gone from here, okay?" she suggested timidly, clipping the chain lightly around Kafei's leg for safe-keeping. It wouldn't do to lose it, especially since it was all that they had to bring home to the family, right now.

Kafei only nodded in silence, merely watching as his friend took flight yet again.

- - - - -

The frail woman was breathing hard when Luna arrived, lying spread-eagle on the floor. Blood soaked into the carpet, the contents of the many shelves broken and scattered all across the room. The Leavanny was old, but tough. The lower part of her leg was gone, but somehow, thankfully, she'd managed to survive the initial injury.

The Bug-type shifted as she recognized her savior, hissing out of mistrust and anger. She was weak, and to Luna it sounded of nothing but pain. "...What happened?" she questioned softly, approaching with her bone club held outward in both palms. She set it slowly onto the floor beside her, to show that she meant no harm. Still, the woman gave no real answer.

"Keep your voice down, fool." The woman warned. It was a warning well-heeded, and Luna immediately quieted her voice to a whisper.

"Let me help you."

The Marowak crouched at the mantis' side, summoning flames into the palms of her hands. The elderly female hissed in a mixture of fury and panic. She wanted nothing to do with fire; her species hated it with a passion, for the sheer amount of damage it could do to them. "Get that away from me!" the Leavanny finally snapped, lashing out at Luna with her arm to try and wave her off. "I never asked for your help, Outsider!" The woman's cries bordered on snarls, at this point.

Luna smacked the woman's hands away, glaring down at her. "I'm cauterizing the wound. You'll just bleed to death if I don't." Her voice was firm. She didn't want to argue about it, she just wanted to get it done. "Your grandson and a little girl have been kidnapped. The girl's mother was attacked. I need you alive to tell me how to find them. How to save them. If you won't help me, those kids are as good as dead," the Marowak whispered icily. Her bright eyes were narrowed with anger, and finally the woman stopped arguing.

She relented, and Luna immediately swiped the white-hot flames across the elder's stump of a leg. The wound sealed in an instant, though the woman cried from the agony of the treatment. The Marowak waited a moment, studying the woman's reactions carefully, and the freshly-cauterized wound. Deeming it to be safe to do so, she gently breathed an Icy Wind above the injury, letting the cold air sink down to soothe the burn. It took a few moments, but eventually the woman settled down, lying flat on her back as Luna did her best to make the woman comfortable.

She tucked a lump of torn fabric beneath her head, resting a gentle hand on her shoulder to keep her still and calm. The resulting glare quickly made her draw her hand back. The trust had not yet grown to that point, it seemed. "Now. Christopher and that little girl were taken-"

"Christopher?" The woman snapped incredulously. Moments later, she'd calmed, though her voice was yet full of venom. "You're in a world of trouble, stranger. Start from the beginning. Make it quick, and I'll share what I know, if you do the same."

- - - - -

Kanza paced, his chest tight with worry. The others still hadn't returned, even though it had been near an hour since they'd left. He glanced wearily up at his companions, watching as the eldest, Cliamain, fashioned simple sleeping bags for his family out of leaves and grasses he'd gathered from the surrounding bushes. He was very skilled, as the Marowak could see how neat tiny the stitched were, even though they were fashioned from grass. He needed no needle, as the tips of his pointed claws worked just as well. For a time, the youngest of the Swadloon had peered upward at him while he worked, their eyes wide with awe at his mastery over the makeshift thread and fabric. Then, after a while they settled down and fell asleep waiting. Gradually, all but one had a place to sleep, and the eldest Swadloon leaned heavily against his uncle while he slept.

The sight of the family made his heart ache, but he continued to wait in silence, his mind still sharply alert. It was a practiced skill to stand watch, as much as sewing was for Cliamain. It was a practice in patience and attention. You couldn't fidget or lose interest in the world around you, but neither could you afford to pay too close attention to anything. Basically, it was dealing with absurd amounts of boredom, and no distractions.

He didn't jump as Cliamain walked up behind him, the last of the youths already tucked in for the night. They wouldn't likely have to wake them, at any point, for they could probably carry the lot between the two of them. "...Kanza?" The Leavanny murmured quietly, his antennae drooping with exhaustion. He seemed very much like a father, just then. Kanza made a small, toneless grunt to show he'd heard. "Is there any sign of your friends?"

The Marowak didn't answer, staring down into his hands. His sharpened, bone spear lay across his palms, the moonlight reflecting off its snowy surface. "Why do they need sleeping bags? It's warm enough, and the grass is soft. Most of them fell asleep on the ground, anyway."

Cliamain sighed softly, looking down at the Marowak. "...I'll take that as a 'no', then. Seasons have been known to change overnight. Besides, this way I can stitch them together and carry them as a single bundle, should we need to move while they're resting."

Kanza frowned slightly, thinking about the implications of that. The Leavanny was more clever than he'd given him credit for, though he certainly wouldn't admit it aloud. He was surprised by the idea that the delicate-looking insect could carry all five of the children without much trouble, but he supposed that bundles of fabric could be quite heavy as well. He probably did a lot more work than people would assume, from thinking about the sort of work a typical tailor would do.

"They should have returned by now," he admitted, finally looking up at the tailor. "Were I on my own, it would make little difference. I'm not as comfortable to guard such a large group out in the open." Cliamain didn't respond, looking crestfallen, but not terribly concerned. He didn't like worrying people, so that the Leavanny still seemed to keep his head was certainly a good thing.

"...Do you think that they got to the clinic alright?"

Kanza glanced back up, rising to stand tall beside the concerned uncle. "...Bundle them together. Let's find a safer place to hide you, and I'll go to investigate.

The tailor, though frustrated by his companion avoiding the question, nodded in agreement. "I know of another place. It was intended to be a back-up to our original hiding-place, but no one's made use of it, yet. It has two entrances, but both are well-hidden and very narrow. It would be very difficult for anything with wings to reach us, as it's deeply underground. My mother told me that many of them were claustrophobic, you see, so we built in extra support structures to narrow the path and make it harder for anyone to come in by flight."

For the first time, Kanza smiled. "At least someone listens to that old hag. I certainly don't. It's a shame she'd rather be grouchy than share ideas like that. We could have used that hours ago," he chuckled softly. His eyes were still dark and serious, but the levity of his words still brightened Cliamain's expression, and the hurried rustling of the grasses just behind Kanza signaled the haste with which the Leavanny moved. It was time that they got out of there, before someone else discovered their hideaway.

- - - - -

Gracie flew, her wingbeats now strained and noisy. It was embarrassing, not to be utterly silent as she flew, but she couldn't help it. Her wings still weren't strong enough, and they'd been traveling for quite some time.

The forest was dark, now, and the trees cast long, heavy shadows over everything. Gracie had to go beneath the trees, here, because they were so thick and leafy. If she'd stayed above, she wouldn't have been able to see Kafei at all. He might not have been able to see her, either, but she wasn't sure. She didn't know how real sight worked, but her echolocation seemed to work a lot better in the dark than Kafei's "night-sight", as he liked to call it. He was very proud of being able to see in the dark, even though Gracie personally wanted to tease him for not seeing like she could. It was a little hypocritical, coming from the blind girl, but that was what made it funny.

She dove downward a little, slipping underneath a low tree branch to avoid a collision. Below her, she could see that Kafei was doing much the same thing. The tree roots criss-crossed all over the path, and it seemed that between them and the rocks, there wasn't an actual speck of ground to be found. He was walking on solid trees. The thought made her giggle, and the Purrloin below caught his breath, looking up at her.

"Gracie, what are you-AHHHHHHHH!"

His shout rang out loud and sharp in the night air, and the Woobat blasted the ground below with soundwaves. Kafei was gone, though so was a part of the path. She turned hastily in the air, gliding down to the tree roots below to try and find her missing friend. She hovered over the entrance to the great hole in the path, sending soundwaves ricocheting down it. The message she got back was a little mixed up, and she realized that it was full of extra structures and tree roots. It wasn't just a hole, it was a tunnel!

"Kafei! Kafei, are you alright?" she yelled, her wings beating a little faster as she struggled to stay in the air. The wind was different this low to the ground. "I can't see you, answer me!"

He didn't. Her heart ached with worry, and she circled around the entrance. She could probably fly in, if she went slow. It was a very steep tunnel, though, so she'd have to be careful about how she descended. If she flew straight down, she might go too fast and not be able to pull up in time when she reached the bottom. It was a risk she had to take, though, and she promptly plummeted down the hole.

It felt cramped to her senses, the tips of her wings brushing the sides of the tunnel as she flew. Unable to see, and having been born in a cave system, she felt no qualms about the space issues. More so, it was a matter of just keeping her wings intact on the flight down. She spewed a constant torrent of sound, enough to confuse just about anyone nearby, but it helped her to keep her focus on everything around her, and the obstacles she had to skirt around.

Up ahead, she sensed a strange figure on the ground, and she slowed, forcing herself to make a silent landing on a nearby support beam.

A high-pitched, almost sinister laugh rang out, and she pressed herself in closer to the side of the tunnel, watching and listening. It sounded familiar, though she couldn't quite place the noise in her memory. The voice didn't come from the figure; there were others in the passage, other than herself and Kafei. "I wonder what sort of fool was so... determined... to follow us here? Chive, bring the intruder to me," It grated on her nerves, to listen to that voice. Then, the mention of Chive's name struck home, and she bit back a gasp of horror as the surgeon stepped into view. His face was an expressionless mask, and he pulled the heap on the ground to the air.

'Kafei... no, Kafei!' She wanted to scream for him, to do something to set him free before that... that voice got him. Why was Chive here, when he was supposed to be at the clinic? There was a sick child to treat, and he was... here, of all places? Why was he following orders like that, and whose orders were they? There were so many questions, but she decided they'd have to wait to find out for sure.

Her heart raced as she listened. The dull thud of Kafei's body hitting earth made her heart sink. There was a small rush of air as he fell, but she heard no cry of pain or fear; he was so quiet and it made her all the more scared, for both him and herself.

"Kafei Strongclaw. One of the patients at the clinic; Gin signed his release papers yesterday, and he's been helping the outsiders since." Chive's voice was entirely toneless, though she heard the dirt beneath his feet shift as he moved about. "He appears to have hit his head; I doubt he'll be much of a problem for now."

"Ah yes. I remember this face.... But where is the girl?" The cold voice was back again, and it made her shiver. His words were all the worse; whoever he was, he knew about her. She was sure of it. Swallowing her fear, she began to silently creep downward, heading toward the source of the voice. She hid instead in the corner at the bottom of the passage. Here, she hoped, she would be both out of the light and out of the way. She was not keen to be discovered hidden in the passage, but she wasn't terribly excited to get herself caught in the main room, either.

"...The.... girl, sir?" Chive sounded baffled, his usual, superior toughness almost entirely gone from his voice.

"Don't play the fool, Chive; it does not suit you. Grace Anju Silver, a Woobat roughly his age. Perhaps a little younger. They are unrequited mates." Gracie's heart froze in her chest, pulsing with nothing but fear. It felt as though ice ran through her veins, and an irrepressible shiver passed along her weakened wings. She had no time for embarrassment over the subject of her affections for Kafei; this was serious. This was dangerously serious. "I could hear her screaming from the top of the passage; do you think she would truly be so stupid as to ignore his disappearance?"

For a moment, Chive did not answer, but the huff of impatience from his apparent master was difficult to ignore. "Nothing.... nothing with wings gets down that tunnel, sir... Is that not why you chose the place?"

His master sniffed unappreciatively. "If that's so, then won't she realize this? We can't have a whole group discovering our hideaway, Chive. If you intend to live to see your repayment, I'd hope you'd have the sense to bring the girl to me... before she alerts anyone else. After all... who doesn't trust the doctor?" There was a nasty sort of humor in the way that the boy spoke. Now she was certain of his youth, but that didn't make him any less terrifying. She was in no shape to fight, and Kafei... She just prayed he was alive. She didn't dare check to see, in case it gave her away. All she could do was listen.

Chive moved past her, the sounds of his footsteps heavy and clumsy in comparison to Kafei's lighter, graceful ones. She felt lucky to have escaped his notice so far... she just hoped it would last.

 

[Lunatalia]

Kanza’s eyes took a moment to adjust to the darkness of the tunnel. Cliamain was behind him, his long, slender limbs enabling much easier movement in the confined space. It was odd, to see a Pokemon with such delicate features be able to move in what seemed essentially a caved-in mine shaft, but he supposed that it was the insect genetics within him. It was a graceful, easy motion for the long-limbed Leavanny to move about, even with the leaf-wrapped bundles of resting youngsters bound to his back.

There was a faint shifting from one of the two he carried himself. They would be likely to wake soon, but it was important that they were safely out of the open air before they did. The extra noise of children was not something they needed, when trying to escape the chaos that might await them on the surface.

Above ground, there were limited places to hide Cliamain and his family on such short notice. It just wasn’t practical for them to do anything but head underground, to the shelter that had already been prepared. Why they even had the place was beyond him, and perhaps more suspicious than he cared to admit. He liked Cliamain, not to mention the children who accompanied him.

The Leavanny’s eyes narrowed as he met Kanza’s gaze, frowning in disapproval. ”Kanza?” His voice was still hushed, hoping to avoid waking the youths they carried down the long tunnel. It was several kilometers long, perhaps stretching halfway across the forest high above their heads, and to have alert, noisy children for the whole two hours or so seemed a painful thing for Kanza to imagine. He liked children when they were quiet, and that they rarely were.

'What on Earth possessed you to make a tunnel this long? Better question, why dig a tunnel at all?'

Nervously, he watched as Cliamain set his sleeping kin onto the tunnel floor. He tucked them in between the support columns, hiding them slightly from view where they could rest in comfort. With a gentle wave Leavanny motioned for Kanza to follow suit. ”Come; we’re far enough in that we’ll be safe. I don’t think it’s wise to go too deeply inside.”

Kanza felt a tug of surprise in his gut. ”I don’t understand.”

”Our shelter is an old mining tunnel. It was condemned over a hundred years ago. Our family owns the land it’s on, but the tunnel itself still hasn’t been stabilized very well. We added to anything close to the surface to try and keep it from caving in. It wouldn’t be safe for anyone on the surface, let alone anyone who happened to get curious and come inside. We just... haven’t gotten around to fixing the deeper portions yet. The most we’ve done is to add some old wooden planks as blockages further down the tunnel.”

Kanza sighed softly. ”Let’s just hope you’re right, Cliamain. If this caves in on us, I’m going to be having some rather stern words with you.”

His only response was a warm-hearted smile, the Leavanny obviously confident in the abilities of his family. ”We’ll be fine, Kanza.”

With a subtle scowl, the Marowak glared at the Grass-type. ”I was joking.”

”Then I’m afraid your humour sucks.”

The words, so dry from a typically serene sort of person, wiped the scowl from Kanza’s face in an instant. He laughed, fully aware that he’d just been insulted back. It was true, though, that he deserved it. ”Careful; you’re almost spiteful enough to carry a bone club.” The Marowak, tossing his own club lightly between his palms, grinned awkwardly.

”Because stereotypical racism is more amusing.”

”I formally request that you shut your trap.” The sound of Cliamain’s chuckling just made it worse.

- - - - -

Kafei’s world was spinning. She could tell from the way that he staggered that being conscious didn’t make it easier to balance. Silently hiding, Gracie could only hope that he had the sense not to move about. He’d fallen such a distance that it was near impossible that he hadn’t hurt himself. In truth, he was just lucky not to have broken his neck.

There was a scraping at the base of the board she rested on, and the little Woobat stayed impossibly still. She’d never experienced colour before, for the lack of true sight that she possessed, but now she just hoped that she wasn’t visible in the dark.

Apparently she went unseen, as the hand retreated with Chive continuing his upward climb toward the surface.

Gracie frowned, and shifted closer to the wall, beginning her slow descent into the tunnel from which Chive had emerged. She couldn’t tell where the tunnel lightened, or where to hide. She could only hope that her place along the rocky wall was hidden enough. Waiting, she cautiously sounded out an echo on the surrounding area.

”Ah, there you are, Ms. Silver.”

The sound of his voice was startling, and the Woobat flinched. Echolocation was very difficult to detect, particularly when the noises were of such a frequency. Evidently, she’d been in plain sight the whole time, and he had just waited to see if she would do something.

Kafei stirred, and she could tell he appeared worried from the way that his brow furrowed. ”Grace, go. Get help.” His voice was a little uneasy, even slurred in places, but he was recovering quickly. That was good, but it did little to ease the nervous flutter of her heartbeat.

”Where are the children?” She demanded, struggling to find a place on the tunnel wall where she could catch a glimpse of the voice’s owner.

The only response was a high-pitched laughter, and a well-placed Razor Leaf blasted the rock from around her, sending the Woobat tumbling to the ground. She barely had time to shake the dust from her wings when the String Shot pinned her to the floor.

”You’re rather slow to catch on, aren’t you? My sister is safe; a suitable hostage for now, though she may outlive her own usefulness. As for me, well, I’m in far better straights than you.”

”Why would you do this? We risked our lives to save your family, this isn’t right!” Kafei’s voice was full of anger, but still he was in no shape to take a stand against the Sewaddle. Even the little insect would be more of a challenge than the injured Purrloin could handle. He would have already been at a disadvantage on a good day; hitting his head just made things worse.

Christopher simply laughed, and although she could not see his eyes, the sensation of being watched was for certain. He was staring straight at her.

”He really is slow, isn’t he, Dear? Yes, your efforts must have been quite heartening to my dear sister. Of course, my grandmother would have none of that. The old hag was more a coward than anything else.” His high voice sent chills down her spine; despite being the voice of a child, it was... unsettling. There was something disturbingly wrong with this boy.

”...You know, I must say; your fur is very unusual. It’s probably the ugliest I’ve ever seen on a Woobat.” The insult was sudden, and she flinched in disgust as she felt a glob of spit land on her nose. Definitely something wrong with this boy.

”I g-guess it’s good that I’m b-blind, then...” she responded quietly, feeling a burst of satisfaction in her retort. Still, she could sense the bubble of anger rising in her chest, but but there was little she could do. Even if she was free, she suspected that the Sewaddle was much stronger than he appeared.

Once again Christopher was laughing, but this time it would be cut remarkably short.

”I believe this is yours,” Luna announced coldly, holding Chive out toward his master by the scruff of his neck. His body trailed limply on the ground, and the acrid stench of burned flesh made her stomach turn. There was flickers of movement, though; Luna had been merciful. He breathed still, and that made it a little easier to deal with.

”He’s no longer of use to me.” The answer was sharp and chilling, so riddled with anger that it brought a strange silence to the air.

But Gracie could sense the change; the Sewaddle was no longer kidding around. If she was right, and she sincerely hoped she wasn’t, there was a battle to break out at any given moment.

”How’d you come by this place, Outsider?” The hissing of the Bug-type was fairly threatening, in Gracie’s opinion, but she was also pinned to the ground at his feet. There was an odd stretch of silence in the room, and softened, muffled footfalls behind them. Even more oddly, his voice was growing further away, deepening as he spoke.

She squirmed against her bonds, blasting the room with sound to try and figure out what was going on, to see where everyone was.

A fully-evolved Leavanny stood above her, and she resisted the urge to tremble. There was no time for panic; she didn’t even know if she had the energy left to panic. She couldn’t fly; her wing was too badly broken. Kafei and Luna were not so discouraged.

”You’ll.... You’ll pay for what you’ve done. It may not be me, it may not be now, but your actions will have consequences. Death does not wait forever.” Kafei’s voice was a comfort. His strength, his morality. He made the world normal again, no matter how much terror still flooded her mind.

”There is no death, Strongclaw, for I am not yet finished!” The final words were an ear-splitting screech, and the weight disappeared from above her in an instant.

The world twisted and contorted around her, with sound of battle marring her ability to “see”. Without eyes, her ears were her window to the world. There was a lot of yelling and screaming that followed, and like nails on a chalkboard, the scraping of claws against stone. There was no rest from the storm that raged above, and it was all she could do to writhe in the sand, praying for the strength to rise and crawl from the growing nightmare.

The sand was rough against her skin, sinking deep through her fur as she fought back the panic. Hurried footfalls and scraping claws grew closer, as if to crush her underfoot. She had to focus, but she couldn’t find a way to clear her head of the roaring headache that had since set in. “Clear as mud”, her father would have called it. She wished he were here, but she’d long since left home.

A chance to spread her wings. That’s how this had started, how everything had started. Breaking the eggshell, embracing loved ones, learning to fly, and every bump and bruise along the way. Even today had started with spreading wings. Resolve replaced panic as the memories began to sink through her. Her family, her friends, Kafei. They were her ground, and she would fight for them.

Her opportunity was brief as the noise subsided; she heard the distinctive scrape of chitin on stone. Exoskeleton. She spread her wings, no longer battered, and she flew.

With eyes wide open, her claws struck the back of the Leavanny’s neck. He thrashed beneath her, but now she saw it coming. The noise was a distraction. She knew this, and now it was clear as the shadows that lurched around her. This was her purpose.

Almost invisibly, the cord was cut. A faint shimmer was all that remained of the brutal assault as her new wings spread wide around her. Her heartbeat was a flutter, swift like crackling flames, but the strong and silent lift of wingbeats were far louder in her mind. Today she had been strong, but now she had the sight to know why.

- - - - -

Luna stood still, her eyes narrowed as she struggled to breathe through the dust in the air. Blood was splattered across the ground, though it was difficult to discern whose was whose. Everyone bled to some degree. Even the long-limbed Leavanny who knelt beside Kafei.

Kanza sat on the ground, focusing on breathing smoothly. One hand clutched the side of his head, and she knew from his mechanical movements that he was repeating the steps of first aid.

When they had come, she didn’t know. She was only glad that they had. Without them, she felt certain that she and Kafei would have died in their struggle. The Purrloin was still heavily wounded from his first scrap with Christopher, and that was even before his evolution.

The trickery still burned fresh in her mind. Of course he’d had a plan for this. Even a fool would have planned somehow. Forcing himself not to evolve would have allowed this to happen, but her curiosity was piqued as to what bond he’d formed to make the final stage. Leavanny gained their form through the strongest of bonds, much like the transition of Woobat to Swoobat.

Gracie, now a meter-tall bat, perched menacingly over Chris’ body. She suspected to see her regret at having killed him, but there was little to none. The gaze was sad and accepting. She knew what she had done, but she did not regret it. This, at least, would bring her some peace in the coming months.

Luna watched her take off, heading to help in carrying her wounded friend, and a faint bubble of recognition settled in her as well. There was sadness, and there was confusion, but there was still the strength in having everyone around them.

- - - - -

Kanza sat calmly beside his sister, sipping the green tea that was passed to him. Grandmother Leavanny sat across from him, with Gracie and Kafei at her side. Both of the pair had now evolved at this point, and for this he felt a hint of strange satisfaction. The therapy for his broken legs had taken true strength, and the support that Gracie gave him had made their relationship finally blossom. Both were lean and strong, the broken bones mere memories from their past.

The past, though, was not entirely forgotten. There was still holes in the hearts of the Leavanny family, and the losses they’d suffered were immense. Christopher’s cruel intentions had been the result of madness; he felt no emotion, they were later to reflect upon. His only motivation was the fortune that lay beneath his grandmother’s name. The murders that followed were nothing but tools, summonings for the real murder he’d intended. The fortune had never existed. Not really, anyway. It was a charity fund now possessed by the guilds. While it was true that it was in the name of his family, she could only direct it to a faction of the guild. His rage became limitless, and his own sister became target as he continued his bargain.

Grandmother, whose name she’d still refused to divulge to them, had lost many more of her family besides him. The clinic was in shambles, and she had only the trust fund left to her.

Yet, out of the ashes would rise something new. This was the way the world worked; it always had and always would.

Kafei and Gracie had decided as a couple to continue the work of the clinic, and tales of their courage had gathered many supporters in the wake of that decision. The guild, too, had urged their decision. They were granted honorary memberships for their heroism and to allow for the official seal upon their clinic. Grandmother had even agreed to sponsor the construction of a new clinic, her trust fund finally coming to use. There was still a lot of planning in their future, including the meeting today, and family from all over the island had come to aid in their choice to start the clinic. Many of them had even come forward to request training as workers within it.

Luna rose beside him, still speaking though he paid little mind to her words. She bowed, and he followed suit, setting his empty cup on the floor before him as he followed his sister away from them. He didn’t have to ask; he knew their departure was also their arrival.

A strange, dark Leafeon waited at the door, but all he saw were the tears in his sister’s eyes, and the child he once knew felt with him again.