Chapter Text
Back on the Brave Olivine…
“But what a strange Pokemon it is…” Murdock muttered. The whole crew(except Ludlow), Dot was present through a phone, had gathered in the meeting room, the Pagogo stood on the table, along with Cap, Fuecoco, and Sprigatito. Rockruff sat on Murdock’s lap.
“So it was disguised as a gem all this time?” Mollie said as the Pagogo looked around.
“Liko, did you know about this?” Orla asked excitedly.
“No…” Liko shook her head. “My grandmother just said it was a good-luck charm.”
“From the looks of it, I think it’s a Rock type, based on the crystal shell…” Dot noted.
“No data,” Roy’s Rotom chimed.
“It’s not in the Pokedex, and it’s not any turtle I recognize, like Squirtle, it’s not a Squirtle,” Roy said. Fuecoco had gotten off the table, now clinging to the side with his claws. “It’s an undiscovered Pokemon…” His fists shook. “That’s so cool!”
I don’t know what I should do next… Liko watched Sprigatito bat at the Pagogo’s tail.
“Piik…” Cap narrowed his eyes at the small Pokemon. “PikaPika…” He seemed to let it go, eyes closed and lifted in an exasperated but given way.
“Uwah…” The Pagogo yawned. It curled up, head tucked in, tail wrapped around its shell.
But it sure is cute. Liko smiled.
Friede stood up. “For now, all we can do is meet up with Liko’s grandma and ask her,” He moved toward the door, holding up his hand to beckon. “Liko. Roy. Get ready.”
“Right,” Both kids stood up.
“Pi!” Cap jumped onto Friede’s shoulder.
“Cap, you’re staying here.”
“Ka?”
“The ship needs its captain.”
“Chu!” Cap gave a thumbs up, Friede returned the gesture.
“The rest of you also stand by, in case something happens,” Friede nodded to the rest of the crew.
“Roger,” Mollie, Murdock, and Orla nodded. Dot also agreed.
“Trusting you, Cap.”
“Pikachu.”
Friede turned to walk away.
———
Reunion at the Ancient Castle!
———
Roy put another berry in his bag. And another, he had plenty of variety, for Sparkler and Fuecoco, and any other that got hungry.
“Fueco…”
In the back, right against where his back would be when he put the bag on, was the book.
“I wonder what Liko’s grandma is like,” Roy said to Fuecoco absentmindedly.
…
Liko hoisted her backpack on, Hatenna secure in her hood.
“It may be a bit snug, but try to make do,” Liko said awkwardly as the Pagogo poked out of her bag.
Hatenna poked out and smiled softly at the turtle, grabbing the fabric with her flaps.
“Paago.”
“Ha…”
Sprigatito padded the pillow.
“Sprigatito, shall we go?” Liko turned to the cat.
Sprigatito kept padding, not facing Liko, although she had a disinterested look. Liko approached, sitting down on the bed next to her partner.
“Sprigatito, we’ll finally get to see my grandmother. I can introduce you to her, too. So won’t you come with me?”
“Moeoww…” Sprigatito made a sad noise, shaking her head.
“Wago!” The Pagogo encouraged quietly.
“Hatenntenn!” As did Hatenna.
“Mreeeeooowwww…” A slightly agitated meow.
Liko leaned forward slightly and picked the cat, placing her on her lap and started to stroke her ears. “Please, Sprigatito.”
Sprigatito closed her eyes, starting to relax. She did want to go with Liko, but Liko had the quiet one and the turtle already…
“Mew…” She said, seemingly accepting, tail wagging a little.
“Upsy-daisy…” Liko stood up, holding Sprigatito. Pagogo was heavier than Hatenna, being made of crystal, but not too much. Just like that, I’ve got one more…This is tough. Liko thought.
Sprigatito closed her eyes and pouted mildly.
And so, Roy, Liko, Friede, their Pokemon, and the Pagogo set out.
Liko and Roy turned to wave goodbye to Mollie, Murdock, Orla, and Cap.
“See you later!”
“Pika-chu,” Cap nodded.
———
The INLLC moved steadily through the water.
“So, you have been operating independently,” Amethio could tell Hamber was disappointed, on the screen, which was tilted on the corner of the ceiling so Hamber was looking down upon him, Hamber held his head in his hands. “Further, you made contact with a Galarian Moltres…” What are the chances this child runs into yet another legendary within the month? “…and clashed with the Rising Volt Tacklers.”
“Well, technically, I only clashed with one–”
“The dangerous one! That bites people!”
“Well, too bad, oh well, I swear I won’t disobey you this time around.”
“Amethio, I feel like you’re–”
“Bye,” Amethio cut the transmission.
“So…” Zir turned to his boss.
“Let’s go disobey orders, again.”
“Sir!” Conia and Zir nodded.
———
Hamber stared at the wall, where the holographic screen had been.
“…Lying,” He finished. Since when did Amethio just cut things off like that? He must’ve been very worked up over something.
Hamber turned to stare forward, he was at his desk. He clicked a few buttons, pulling up a new transmission.
“What is it?” The man on the other end asked.
“Where is Master Spinel?” Hamber kept his face blank.
“In the laboratory with Master Agate. I think they’ll be there for a while.”
“Then, what about master Onyx?” He would have to call Spinel later.
“Here,” The burly young man said, his Garganacl behind him, with better posture than Onyx’d ever have.
“I’m off to the Galar Region,” Hamber went straight to business. “I suspect Master Amethio is going to get himself killed.”
“That’s not good.”
“Yes, it is not. So you and Master Sango are to accompany me,” Hamber nodded. “Also, I believe our enemy is doing something there.”
“Yes,” Onyx nodded.
Sango floated in on her Glalie. “Totes boring…Amethio can handle himself, just give him a gun or somfin’…Can we just go vacationin’ in Galar? And not bring this Hunchback of Notre Dame,” Don’t look at his ass. Don’t say Hunchback of Notre HOT DAHYMN, nice ass.
“Why don't you stay here and vacation yourself? Like, into a wall?” Onyx offered, glaring at her face. Her face is not pretty. It’s not. Not that her hair looks nice in those pigtails she always has, with the brown roots showing just a little…
{“They’re terrible at this,”} Garganacl said in a growl so it would seem like they were threatening.
{“LOL, yeah,”} Glalie matched the growl, using one of the words Sango had taught them.
{“Get your crap together, deadweights,”} Dusknoir rose out of the floor behind Hamber.
“Calm down,” Hamber said coolly, hair covering both of his eyes, he tilted his head just enough to see his sharp dark blue iris and white pupil.
Sango hopped off her Glalie, standing straight up and staring ahead with Onyx.
“Yup!” The pink haired woman squeaked.
“At your command,” Onyx nodded.
“First, we need to actually figure ou–”
“I can help you!” Spinel popped out of a vent in the ceiling. “Find Amethio, that is, I have a tracker on him!”
“You what?” Hamber looked up, eye now covered.
“You know this, I have trackers on everyone,” Spinel waved his hand flippantly. “Also, there was a sudden spike in Terastal energy, it’s fading, but it trails in the same direction Amethio is going, sooooo…”
Spinel leaned down to hand Hamber a small handheld device.
“There you go, bye!” He pulled the vent closed behind him.
“Well, then, how queer…” He paced off as Dusknoir sunk into the floor.
“So…” Sango turned to Onyx. “Do we follow him, or…?”
“YES!” Hamber shouted back. The two young adults quickly walked after him.
“Do you really believe Amethio is in so much danger if you’re going personally?” Onyx asked.
“That, and he’s definitely disobeying orders.”
“Wait, little mister ‘I need to do everything right’ disobeying you?!” Sango cackled. “Talk about out of character!”
“Add that to the spike of Terastal energy, I suspect something is happening about, besides, we can grab the pendant while we’re there, as two people have failed, and I have a gun,” Hamber said, very proud of the fact that he owned a gun. Something with the pendant… Did Amethio know about the spike though? “I have to see this for myself…” He muttered, peering through his hair.
———
Roy, Liko, and Friede stood outside the train station, staring at nothing. Roy watched the train pull away as Friede stretched and grunted a little.
“I slept well!” Friede scratched the back of his head, making sure his hair wasn’t too much of a tangled mess.
“Taking the train was fun!” Roy smiled, he had sketched some of the circles out on scraps of paper, mostly ones for fire, he could tell it was fire due to the drawing of flames with a little skull on them, the fire had three circles. And way less stressful than it was!
“Yeah,” Liko nodded. Liko wasn’t sure she trusted Roy on that, she had watched him get confused at the terminal, panic about Friede going to sleep, his eyes had flicked to the display of the next stop at each stop and to the map of stops, mumbling the stop that was theirs repeatedly.
Fuecoco and Sprigatito looked around the empty field.
“My grandmother’s old castle…” Liko looked around. “Where is it?”
Roy was kinda surprised, he couldn’t see anything but trees, not even the faint outline of a building. Was it a really tiny castle?
“It should be around here somewhere, but…” Friede checked his phone, which was now on silent due to trying to call him a slur.
“Huh?” Liko gasped, seeing how many little gray symbols there were on the map. “There’s that many of them?”
“Where do we start?” Friede moved the map around with his finger.
“Wauhgggg…” The Pagogo popped out of Liko’s bag with a rustle.
“Oh, you’re awake?” Liko glanced back at the yawning turtle.
“Liko! LiiiiKO!” A sound suddenly caught everyone’s attention, they turned to see a yellow bird sitting on a fence post, flapping its wings. “Old castle!” It squawked.
“Oh?” Friede blinked, putting his phone away before it could start typing out bad words.
“Grandmother’s Squawkabilly!” Liko gasped.
“I’ve never seen that Pokemon!” Roy stared, the bird was yellow, with pale talons, a black afro-like hair, and white at the tips of its wings, having a darker beak than its claws. He pulled out his phone immediately.
“Squawkabilly. The Parrot Pokemon. A Normal and Flying type. Yellow plumed Squawkabilly are hotheaded, and their fighting style is vicious.”
“Liko! Old castle!” The bird repeated as the group got closer. It took off from the post and started to fly down the path.
“Looks like it’ll take us there,” Friede said as he started to follow it.
“Fuecoco!” Roy called over to his frolicking Pokemon before starting to walk with Liko and Friede. Fuecoco and Sprigatito noticed and ran over.
Back on the ship, Ludlow sat with Daplit, fishing over the side.
“Piiika,” Cap stood on the back of his chair, satisfied with himself. “Pikachu.”
———
“Breezy Hills?” Friede acknowledged the location they were walking through. “Were there any old castles over here?”
The area began to transition to a forest.
Morgrem watched the three strange humans, their Pokemon, and Squawkabilly walk through the woods from behind a tree.
Blipbug watched from up in a tree, cataloguing them. An albino, a short person, and one who looked a whole lot like–
“Old castle!” Squawkabilly stopped midair to turn around and screech.
“But it’s just a dead end…” Roy glared at the rock wall, all made of the same formation. Two stone pillars with one on top, being underneath a bunch of dirt and grass.
“What is it, Squawkabilly?” Liko asked. At least this Pokemon spoke a language she knew.
“Liko goodgirl!” It flew upward.
“Wow,” Roy said from where he was looking at grass. “That bird really likes you.”
Suddenly, one of the stone formations slid out of the wall. Roy jumps up.
It spreads the two bottom stones-legs?-apart to reveal an entrance. The top part had a simple face that could easily be confused for three lines of chalk.
“There was a hidden door here?” Liko questioned.
“And the password was that?” Roy tilted his head.
“Old castle! Old castle!” Squawkabilly fluttered back down. They flew down the tunnel.
“Liko, you’re sure your grandma isn’t a murderer, right?” Roy asked as he stepped in.
“Of course not!”
“Right,” He nodded seriously. “Then secret passage time!” He smiled and started running down the stone tunnel.
“Hm?” Friede looked up.
{“Hi,”} The top part blinked and smiled.
A Stonjourner as a door…interesting… He patted the stone as he walked after Liko and Roy. “Thanks, friend,” He ducked into the makeshift doorway.
Stonjourner closed behind them. Friede sure hoped Liko was right that her grandmother wasn’t a murderer, as he could do nothing in the darkness but trust and keep walking.
…
Conia walked around in the forest. They were in Hammerlocke, where Amethio had traced his ‘tingly feeling’ to. She could do nothing but trust in his weird instincts.
Zir did the same, poking a tree. It didn’t attack him, a good thing on any day.
“Okay, where do we go now?”
Zir turned to respond to Conia, but got jumped on by some kind of goblin.
“Eh! EH! Morgrem! Off! Off!” Conia ran forward to bat the red and green creature off her friend, pulling at its black hair.
It bounced off into a tree, hitting Zir to the ground.
“Morge…” It looked back at them once, before jumping off into the distance.
“A Morgrem…? Why does Galar have such spooky Pokemon?” Conia watched it go.
Zir stood up rubbing his head. The two started to walk deeper into the forest as Zir grunted.
———
“Liko! Old castle!” Squawkabilly repeated. The trio had left the tunnel and was now walking along a stone path with a side lining that had little merlons along it. In between it and the path was a grass collection of bushes, on the other side on the path, was another, shorter lining.
“Liko, your grandma’s an adventurer, right?” Roy turned to Liko while walking.
“Yeah,” Liko nodded. “She’s always traveling with Pokemon, looking for ancient ruins and sunken ships and stuff!” She smiled.
“Treasure hunting?! That’s so cool!” Roy held up his fist.
“Been a while since you last met?” Friede asked.
“Mhm,” Liko nodded. “I saw her right before I went to Indigo Academy, an early birthday celebration. She gave me the pendant–Or, well, the Pagogo as a good luck charm…”
“…” Friede stayed silent for a moment, contemplating. “Liko, do you think she knew about it being a Pokemon?”
“I…don’t know, she’s always on the move, so it’s possible she grabbed from somewhere and ran off befor– Wait, no, she’s had it since I was a really young kid, I remember that…” Liko pressed her hand to her chest.
“We’ll have to ask her, I guess,” Roy shrugged. “If we find out she orchestrated this whole thing…” Roy punched his fist into his palm.
“ROY! You’re not beating up my grandmother!” Liko cried.
“Sorry!”
“We’ll just see when we meet her,” Friede looked around at the trees, reaching up to gently tap a Butterfree above him, it reacted positively, strange.
———
“We know for sure they came this far…” Zir muttered, looking in the trees, were they in the trees?
“There was a noise from over there, but…” Conia looked over at the direction she swore there had been noise, but it was just a stone wall, clearly artificial.
“Corvi!” Violet came down in a landing. Amethio hopped down and stretched.
“Amethio, sir!” Conia and Zir turned to him as he made no sound on the gravel.
“Violet, return,” Amethio recalled the bird before storing the Pokeball. “Luck?”
“We’ve lost track of them…” Conia admitted.
“We’re very sorry,” Zir said as he and Conia both inclined their heads.
Amethio breathed in heavily. “It’s fine,” He slammed his palm into a tree, leaving a dent.
“But they definitely came through here!” Zir held his fist.
“I know that,” Amethio nodded. “Good work anyway.”
He started looking around.
“Pixie. Charcoal.”
He released the two.
“Charcoal, see if there’s any gaps to fit into, I give you permission to Moonblast anything you don’t like, Pixie, see if you can’t pick up on Sprigatito’s scent,” He began to walk in a new direction. “You two split up and search the surrounding area,” He waved his hand absentmindedly.
———
“Old castle! Old castle!” Squawkabilly yelled.
They had, in fact, reached a castle, it was made from mossy stones and the windows were made from rusty bars and old glass.
“Now that’s an antique castle,” Friede admired the very nice door.
“Amazing!” Roy smiled.
“Fueco-co…” Fuecoco sat down, tired.
Sprigatito sniffed the air and rubbed her nose with a sad meow.
Squawkabilly flapped down to land on Liko’s head, luckily gentle. “Liko!” It screeched, hurting Liko’s ears due to proximity. “Old castle!”
“Grandmother!” Liko called. “It’s Liko!”
On top of the wall, a figure jumped over with a bark.
The group tensed as it landed. A large dog, orange and fluffy with black markings.
“Ruawf! Ruawf!” It barked fiercely, but its tail was wagging.
“Huh? Oh!” Liko’s fear was only for a moment as she ran to the Arcanine, Sprigatito clinging to her leg. Fuecoco was clinging to Roy’s leg as well, Friede had pulled out Charizard’s Pokeball on instinct. “Arcanine!” Liko hugged the dog and started to pet their nose. “It’s been so long!”
“Ruah! Rua!” It sounded a whole lot less threatening. Roy and Friede looked at each other. Liko and Arcanine nuzzled faces. Roy hunched up and hugged Fuecoco as the door began to creak open.
They were fully pushed open as a woman in a pink adventurer’s suit stepped out, she wore yellow earrings and had blue eyes the same shade as the underside of her gray hair, said hair was held back by some kind of yellow headband-hairtie.
“I barely recognized you, Liko.”
“Grandmother!”
“Mew?” Sprigatito tilted her head.
———
“Frolic, Wilma! Frolic!” Kat shouted as the Dubwool frolicked through tall grass, chasing Wooloo.
She played with three other Pokeballs in her hands.
“Nah,” She stuffed them back in her bag, today was a day for the ones who missed their home. “Jerky! Stabby!” Instead, she released the Butterfly and Poison Bee duo. Although Beedrill weren’t native to Galar, the two were always together. Maybe later Shedca and Ninca could join them.
Kat leaned against a gate, watching the three fly around.
“Woa–!” The old gate fell open, it led out into a dark forest.
It swung back, and as it began to swing back the whole swarm of Wooloo got corralled out by Wilma.
“…Not my problem–” Kat shrugged, but Wilma ran after them. “Wait, Wilma!”
“DriBe?”
“Hueh…”
“FreeFree?”
“Welp, let’s go save them,” Kat turned to strut off into the forest, followed by Jerky and Stabby.
The fog closed in…
———
“So you’re the ones Lucca mentioned, the Rising Volt Tacklers’…” Liko’s grandmother trailed off, trying to place Friede and Roy.
“Friede Stormbringer.”
“Roy Eeviekor! And this is Fuecoco,” Roy held up his croc.
“Fue.”
“I’m Diana Amulette,” Diana nodded. “Thank you for getting Liko here safe and sound.”
“Thank you!” Squawkabilly repeated and smiled from Diana’s shoulder.
“Meoww…” Sprigatito walked out in front of Diana.
“Right! Grandmother, you see…”
“Oh…” Diana leaned down to inspect the cat. She knelt down and extended her hand. “You’re Liko’s partner, I take it?”
Sprigatito padded forward to sniff her hand.
“This is Sprigatito.”
It smelled like leather, as she had a glove on.
“Sprigatito, this is my grandmother.”
“Please look after Liko for me,” Diana smiled at the cat. “She can be more stubborn than she looks, but she’s very kind, so take good care of her.”
Sprigatito had gotten into a crouched position, growling, with claws out.
“Woos!” Diana flinched as Sprigatito struck her, Squawkabilly flew out of the way.
“Sprigatito!” Liko waved her arms.
“Splendid!” Diana stood up as her bird came back to her shoulder, placing her hands on her hips. “It’s got some real grit!”
“Meowha,” Sprigatito strutted off sassily. Diana just laughed and smiled.
Even Sprigatito can’t shake her…That’s my grandmother. Liko was in awe of her ancestor.
“Don’t be shy,” Diana said. “Make yourselves at home,” She gestured at the halls of the castle.
———
Cap stood on the back of his chair, he was getting bored. Perhaps he would go look at Friede’s button collection. Or the ship’s silverware. Which…Friede had also collected.
Silverware just made him think of food, which made his stomach grumble.
“Pi…PikaPika!” He was a strong, independent Pikachu! He didn’t miss Friede at all!
———
“Is this your home?” Liko asked as they walked into a main area.
“That’s right,” Diana nodded.
Roy looked around and sneezed, there was a whole lot of dust. And nice paintings.
“It’s one of my hideouts,” Diana continued to explain.
Roy looked at some of the Pokemon there, a purple fiery chandelier, a small green statue with glowing yellow on it, and some kind of intricately designed stone coffin with a red snake design that led up to a purple eye.
There were two gears moving in a clock, a large apple with eyes on the table next to the grandfather clock, it poked up, revealing there was a green creature sitting in the bottom of a carved out apple, with a piece on its head and two wing shaped pieces, and a purple mushroom.
“Shii?” The purple mushroom raised its head, revealing a green underside and spindly arms on its white body; it looked a bit like a Q-tip.
“Whoa, it’s full of Pokemon!” Roy’s eyes sparkled. “Are they all yours?”
“Ya?” A black Pokemon with a purple eye and a little piece of stone with a red design floated over.
“These are wild Pokemon,” Diana held the little stone in her palm. “If they like it here, they can stay,” She gestured to a bowl of berries, it had an apple with eyes, smaller than the other and it didn’t look cracked open. “If they get bored, they can go. A castle of freedom.”
Friede looked at a Doublade on the wall, it looked back.
“It’s kind of like the Brave Olivine,” Friede said. “Although we do need to land, and get them back to a region they can actually inhabit.”
“Are there any other humans living here?” Roy asked.
“Nope, just me and the Pokemon,” Diana smiled. “Living a carefree life all by myself,” The small stone carrying Pokemon to float away.
———
Durant scurried away to the castle as day turned to night.
———
Sprigatito napped next to the crackling fire.
“Amazing…” Roy looked at a painting of an Arcanine on a cliff with the moon in the back. “Right, Fuecoco?”
The artwork was fabulous.
“Fue…” Fuecoco didn’t understand Roy, what was so good about a drawing? They saw, there, done.
“I really must apologize,” Diana said. She, Liko, and Friede were sitting on couches around a table. “I had no idea the pendant had been targeted by a group when I gave it to Liko, I contacted Lucca when I learned of this, and in turn she contacted you,” She pointed at Friede.
“Were you targeted, too?” Liko worried.
“Yes…” Diana nodded. “Liko…Thank you for bringing it all this way.”
“Oh…Um…” Liko looked at Friede, he looked back, forcing a smile, it wasn’t an ‘it’ anymore…how would they even explain that?
“The truth is…” Friede wondered if he could use his problems with the moon to just leave. But if he was going to make excuses, why not just make one entirely up?
“Did you lose it?” Diana was a little annoyed.
“No, I wouldn’t!” Liko held up her hands. “I haven’t…But…” Liko eyed her bag, she had put it next to her.
“Pahhhg…” Pagogo yawned as they poked out of the bag.
“Huh–?” Diana barely had any time to react before Liko threw herself over the bag.
Friede stood up and in front of Liko. “You’re hallucinating! This is a dream! You’re dreaming!” He aggressively pointed at her. "You're insane!"
“Friede, stop gaslighting my grandmother!”
“You covered the bag! I was just following your lead!”
“Yeah…” Liko stood up, picking up the bag with the Pagogo inside. “Grandma, this is…Pagogo, we don’t know if it’s their name or their species.”
“It used to be a necklace, but now it’s a turtle,” Friede sighed.
Diana blinked as the Pagogo crawled out onto the table.
“Uh…” Liko wasn’t sure what to do as the turtle crawled towards Diana.
“Oh my!” Diana scooped the tiny gem creature up in her arms.
The Pagogo sniffed her.
“Pago!” It chirped cheerfully.
“Grandmother, like Friede said…it was the pendant and we don’t know why it happened but…it’s a Pagogo now…”
“I do believe this is a Terapagos, where did you get the name Pagogo?” Diana held the turtle.
“Bacco called it that,” Roy walked in.
“Bacco?”
“Galarian Moltres. Bacco,” Roy shrugged.
Diana stared at him, thoughts clearly moving too quick.
Galarian Moltres. Bacco. Told them. Pagogo?
“You can understand Pokemon?” That was the only question she could manage.
“I can as well,” Friede raised a hand.
“Oh…Well, where’d you find a Galarian Moltres?” Two people that can understand Pokemon in the same place, what are the chances?
“In the Galar Mines,” Liko pulled out Bacco’s Pokeball. “They were very angry.”
“Uh-huh…” Diana awkwardly nodded. “So, anyway…”
“Paago!”
“I never thought there was a Pokemon in, or rather, being the pendant, especially not something as rare as a Terapagos! I suppose it must’ve been hibernating!” Diana laughed good naturedly. “They’re Normal type Pokemon, and exceptionally hard to find.”
“Hibernating…” Friede contemplated, “In the shape of a jewel?”
“I guess,” Diana said. “Maybe it’s to make it unappetizing for predators, that wouldn’t work with Sableye though.”
“That’s…actually sound reasoning, most things that would eat flesh wouldn’t eat gems,” Friede nodded. Eh, Stormbringers have weirder defenses.
“You were sleeping this whole time…Poor thing…” Diana stroked the Terapagos.
“Hey!” Roy pointed at the turtle, startling Diana as the Terapagos swiveled their head. “Is your name Pagogo?”
“Tera-pago!”
“Cool, glad we got that cleared up.”
“It said yes,” Friede clarified.
“How did you even know what it was?” Liko tilted her head. “It-Terapagos’s not in the Pokedex.”
“I’m an adventurer, I’ve come across many old books, some speak of a gem turtle called ‘Terapagos’, the illustrations look a little like this little one,” Diana said, going back to stroking Pagogo’s head. “Although they’re not always credible, some talk of magical incarnates that are neither Pokemon nor human, others of ‘The Circle Masters’, I have no idea what it mea–”
Roy pulled out his book. “Could “The Circle Masters” have something to do with this?” He dropped it onto the table.
Diana stood up, walking over with Pagogo in hand.
Friede blinked, where’d Roy get that? Were those the circles he’d said he’d explain later?
Roy flipped open the book to a place where a sticky note was stuck in the pages, scrawled Kantonian read ‘Lily’. There was a picture of that flower on the page, likewise on the adjacent page was another flower.
“Yeah, I don’t know how to activate them, but I think it’s the power of my will,” Roy explained.
“Hmm…” Diana stood up and walked away, putting Pagogo down next to Liko.
In a few minutes she came back with a stack of books.
“I’ll admit, I don’t think they’re actually called Circle Masters, I just can’t translate these and am going off pictures,” Diana admitted, sitting back down.
“I…think we’re getting away from the main issue,” Liko held up Pagogo.
“Fair enough,” Diana nodded.
“Roy and I can look through the books while you two converse,” Friede said, picking up a book. Fuecoco and Sprigatito napped by the fire.
“Back to Terapagos, this doesn’t seem to be its final form, the one I saw in records had a bigger, more circular shell and fur,” Diana said.
“Mm,” Liko nodded.
“I believe this Pokemon traveled with Lucius,” Diana said, taking Pagogo back from Liko to cuddle the baby.
“Lucius?!” Liko stood up, startled.
“Pwago?!” Pagogo began to squirm.
“You know of him?”
“Yes! The Ancient Adventurer, Lucius! Also, we have a theory that there’s a second person,” Liko said.
“Wha-Why?” Diana questioned.
“No time! Keep the conversation moving!” Roy said as he flipped through the pages of a book, looking at the pictures.
“I feel like we’re being too stressed about this,” Diana was mildly concerned.
“Nope! Not stressed enough!” Roy chirped.
“I agree!” Liko said with a raised hand. “Anyway, yes, Pagogo belonged to someone close to Lucius most likely.”
“Not to mention the Evil Grass Man, Bacco called Amethio the Evil Grass Man and was completely pissed,” Friede added.
“Who is Amethio?!”
“Oh crap, FUecocO?!” Roy put down the book and dashed over to his Pokemon, who was slumped. He picked him up and brought him over.
“What’s wrong?” Friede turned as Liko stood up and darted over.
“He wasn’t really himself while we were looking at art, I think…I think he’s dying,” Roy hugged Fuecoco. Then Fuecoco’s stomach growled. “Oh, nevermind, he’s probably just hungry.”
“Fueco…”
“That…makes more sense,” Friede said as he and Liko sighed.
“Well then, why don’t we have something to eat?” Diana asked, happy to at least a little calm down.
———
Cap had left his chair to go to the kitchen and have a nice dinner.
———
“We trailed them all the way to this general area…” Zir said. They were back in the original area they’d started before Amethio had started freaking out. Darkness had since fallen.
Amethio trailed his hand along the rock wall. He had both Charcoal and Ceru out, glowing ethereal blue and purple.
One of the formations was different, chalk lines on the top part, and on the bottom of the supports, dirt and two ‘X’s lined up, he recognized that Pokemon.
He tapped the Stonjourner, it jolted, just barely.
Stonjourner smiled, something about this creature was calming, they wanted it to keep petting them.
“Moonblast,” The force of Fairy type energy hit them.
Amethio stepped back, holding Charcoal as the Stonjourner fell forward, shocked by the attack from such a comforting presence.
“There,” Amethio gestured to the tunnel. “Entrance,” He stepped over the stunned Pokemon as Conia and Zir followed. Ceru and Charcoal next to him.
Stonjourner jumped up as soon as possible and ran away, the comforting presence felt more like a threat now.
“Ceru, return,” Amethio returned Ceru, he would make the tunnel too cramped and Charcoal could light the way on their own. “Let’s go.”
“Amethio, sir!” Conia and Zir were ready, mildly scared of their boss, but ready.
Blipbug watched the three go.
Amethio whirled around, eyes glinting in the night. Blipbug skittered behind the tree, a sudden feeling of terror overwhelming them.
Amethio’s eyes flicked around the surrounding area, before he blinked and went back to walking.
Blipbug stayed still until they were sure it was gone, a paralytic feeling ran across them.
Sharp triangular pupils, as black and deep as the night sky, yet glowing along with the purple.
———
“Now, eat up!” Diana had gathered a bunch of canned food she had.
“Time to dig in!” Roy chirped, doing so with a can of ground meat.
“It’s all canned…Aren’t these for emergencies?” Liko asked.
“No, they’re for every day!” Diana had a can of pineapple rings. “Eating like this is the best!” She took a bite. “No plates to wash. Convenient, right?”
Roy took another bite of his ground meat. It sure was ground, whether that was good, he didn’t know.
“Mm, you’re not wrong. It’s good!” Friede smiled. Please don't give me tetanus...
“Glad to hear it!” Diana said as the Pokemon ate their food as well. Arcanine watched the smaller creatures. “I have plenty more for seconds. So hurry up and have some, Liko!”
Grandmother’s impatient… Liko took a bite, savoring the flavor. Naturally. Pagogo slept next to her.
As the night went on, more and more of the Pokemon went to sleep.
Arcanine perked up, feeling a presence up on the balcony, no noise accompanied it, but something felt off.
Diana poured some cups of tea.
“Hey, Grandmother,” Liko addressed. “Can you tell me about all your adventures?”
“Right…” Diana nodded. “Now that you’ve taken your first step, let me tell you everything.”
Liko smiled.
“It all began when I was even younger than you are now.”
———
Diana had been just a young girl, living in her house with her mother, Liko’s great-grandmother, Layla.
She had made her way into the attic to hide from her mother.
“Diana?” Her mother had called from downstairs. “Where are you? Playing hide-and-seek again?” She could hear her mother’s red heels.
Diana smiled as she watched down the stairs, her mother walked away.
She crawled across the floor, making sure to be quiet, but she bumped into a box.
She squeaked in pain and opened her eyes, covering her mouth. She had crawled in between two bookcases. She tugged the suitcase out from in between them, it was very dusty.
She carefully moved it to the side and opened it, covering her face from the cloud of dust that came out.
———
“Yes…I found that pendant…in an old suitcase in my attic.”
———
In the suitcase was a smaller box, more delicate, she brushed it off and opened it. There was also a journal, but she was more focused on the delicate gem.
Surrounded in a silver ring-thing and strung with a black string.
The pendant.
———
“And the pendant wasn’t all I found.”
———
She had gasped as she picked it up, loving how pretty it was.
There were several journals in the suitcase. She had picked up the brown one.
———
“Also there…were records written by an adventurer named Lucius and his friends on their journeys. Unfortunately, there were no last names, so I couldn’t track their descendants down.”
———
Diana had discovered many drawings in the book, including one of some kind of turtle, it was fluffy looking around its tail and had four little feet poking out of its large shell, on each segment of the shell was a symbol, one for each type.
She absentmindedly took out a loose sheet of paper.
———
“Were the records true?”
———
She had set out adventuring as soon as she was old enough. With her Growlithe and some adventuring clothes.
———
“Who was this Lucius? I had to know.”
———
The pendant on her neck, shining.
———
“So I left on a journey.”
———
She kind of just started walking, quickly, along a dirt path.
She had not packed any food or water.
And then she started to run.
———
“But, though I traveled the world and investigated so much, I couldn’t find the slightest trace of Lucius.”
———
She had been through cave after cave, jungle after jungle, nothing.
Shaking her head towards her Arcanine, disappointed once more.
———
“I gave up thirty years ago. But…”
———
She found Squawkabilly, and her castle and other homes.
———
“I’m the adventurer I am today…thanks to Lucius.”
———
And she still watched other things.
Mountains.
Temples.
———
“Then, a couple months back, an old friend paid me a visit.”
———
Diana had met Hamber at a library, he came out of an impressively fancy car.
———
“He said he’d introduce me to someone who could aid me in my adventures.”
———
In the fancy car, three other people came out, staring at her, all wearing suits and sunglasses, they had the same head shape, build, and haircut.
———
“But when he turned up, I realized that some shady organization was involved…”
———
It did not help Hamber’s case that there was some exceptionally tiny lady with bright pink hair mumbling ‘Kill her, kill her!’ like she was at a sports game, in the backseat of the car.
———
“And what they sought…” Friede realized. “…was the pendant.”
YEAH. Pretty obvious. Roy thought. That was mean, sorry, even though I didn’t say it I still am.
Diana nodded. “And, hoping to protect both Liko and the pendant, I told Lucca, and she hired you and your crew.”
“Well, I’m just glad Liko’s alive,” Friede said.
“So what did they all look like,” Roy had pulled a pencil and some paper from somewhere. “For future reference. Please.”
“Oh, well, Hamber is rather tall, wait, no, he’s actually…medium, he seems like he should be tall, so he looks short, but he’s actually average height.”
Oh, like me, but in reverse. Friede thought.
“Does he have all his limbs?”
“Yes.”
“Okay,” Roy drew a quick outline of ‘Hamber’. “Wait, does he have a head?”
“Ye…s?”
The Pokemon had finished her food, Diana continued to describe Hamber to Roy, Liko began to think.
If not for Friede and the rest of them, would Sprigatito and I be…alive? We wouldn’t be free, but I’d probably dead after fulfilling whatever the pendant awakening to Pagogo, or Terapagos, was…
“I have to thank you again,” Diana said to Friede as Roy drew a disturbingly accurate hand for Hamber’s hair.
“It’s nothing,” Friede insisted. “Don’t worry about it. More importantly, the pendant—Rather, Pagogo, or Terapagos, which isn’t even in the Pokedex…I can’t sit still after hearing there’s a Pokemon mystery!” Friede’s eyes glinted in excitement.
Diana smiled, but narrowed her eyes and grabbed one of the books. “You just…your face reminded me of something,” She quickly flipped through the pages.
She set the book down and pointed at an image spread between two pages, on one, was a large creature with a hole in its chest, rings and arms floating around it.
On the other page stood two humanoids, one was drawn with bright golden eyes that seemed to glint and fluffy black hair. The other was made of stone, with large horns protruding from its skull, the only non-stone parts being the gems on its face and embedded in its horns. Between them was a circle with a symbol inside, along with a black box along the ring. But it wasn’t just one circle, several circles linked together, all having a black box on their rings.
Friede stood up, and immediately sat back down.
“That…” He pointed to the stone creature. “Is something I legally am not supposed to talk about.”
“Wait, you know about it?” Diana stared at him. “I was pointing out the golden eyed figure!”
“Yeah, like I said, I can’t legally talk about it, but that’s never stopped me,” Friede shrugged. “It’s some kind of creature that not only eats people but can go days without food or water, it’s not a Pokemon, and was a project at my old company, although it had pink eyes, not brown.”
“Eats…people?” Liko paled.
“Yeah, also, its blood is corrosive,” Friede pulled up his jacket’s sleeve, then his normal sleeve, revealing his forearm and the black scarring along it.
Liko covered her mouth with a squeak.
“That’s…disturbing,” Roy muttered.
“Fascinating…” Diana muttered as Friede rolled his sleeve back up. “I mean, I’m sorry you had to go through that. But to think, the same creature in modern times as in ancient times, being met by someone with the same golden eyes.”
“Can we just get back to Terapagos for now?” Friede asked.
“I mean, yeah,” Diana said. We’re really just gonna brush everything else off. “So about the previously mentioned Bacco, or Galarian Moltres?”
“Yeah,” Liko pulled out their ball.
“Um, it’s the same as this one too,” Roy pulled out the black Rayquaza’s Pokeball. “It’s an Ancient Pokeball my gramps gave me that he found when he was a kid on my island,” He placed it on the table. “It used to have a black Rayquaza but it…well, it left.”
“So that’s an Ancient Pokeball…” Diana whispered, practically reverent. “A black Rayquaza?”
“Yup,” Roy lifted up the book Liko’s father gave him, the one with Lucius, or the Ancient Adventurer. “From this picture book!” I love picture books.
“Plus, an Arboliva we met, Tolliv, and Bacco, had the same Pokeball, and caused some strange…hallucinations? Visions? Well, we saw some stuff,” Liko explained, remembering the orbs of PURE LIGHT that had descended upon her and Roy, and Friede in the cave. “I believe them to be Pagogo’s memories, and that brings up another issue, I believe that someone had Pagogo alongside Lucius instead of Lucius holding Pagogo, because the angle implied being held, and then they wouldn’t have a third-person angle, along with someone besides Lucius’s companion having Pagogo, because we were shown two other people in a second vision each time, who are also our enemies,” Liko took a breath. “And their names are Tess and probably Jake, we’re pretty sure. Grandmother, have you ever heard of “Rakua”?”
Diana looked up from examining Rayquaza’s Pokeball, eyes going wide with a small gasp.
“PAGO!”
“WHY DID YOU REACT TO THAT AND NOT BACCO’S NAME EARLIER?!” Friede jumped as Pagogo shrieked.
Roy winced, having covered his ears. “Wasn’t expecting that…!”
“Wh-What?!” Liko was so confused.
Friede sat back down in the chair he had been hiding behind.
“Pag…Pwoag…” Pagogo started to waddle towards Diana again, except they actually hopped off the table and waddled in a new direction. “Pag! Pag!” It continued its slow crawl across the carpet. “Pwago! Pwag!”
Hatenna’s antenna poked up, responding to the emotions.
“Ha?” She poked out of the hood. “Te!” She jumped out to follow Pagogo, hopping onto its crystal shell as it wandered to a door with an overjoyed look.
{“Trainer? Where are you?”} Pagogo clawed at the door.
“Hey, hold on!” Liko stood up.
Pagogo fell over onto their back, flinging Hatenna off. They spun and writhed, trying to flip back onto their feet.
Liko scooped them up. “What is it?”
{“Trainer! Original!”}
“Something about an original trainer,” Roy translated.
“The original trainer has something to do with Rakua?” Diana hypothesized.
“But Lucius was the one to mention it, so I guess Lucius’s ally came before Tess and Jake’s,” Liko realized halfway through her sentence. “Which makes sense, they’re, like, thirteen.”
“Wago?”
“Okay, unintelligible nonsense again,” Roy groaned.
“Rakua, believed to be somewhere in this world…” Diana explained. “The paradise that the ancient adventurer Lucius sought. Its name was Rakua.”
Roy questioned where the name Rakua was from.
“Paago~”
“The paradise Lucius sought?” Friede echoed, very intrigued.
“You want to know more, too?” Diana asked. “So do I.”
“Grandmother…” Liko murmured.
“Wait here a sec,” Diana stood up. “I have something to show you. I’ll go get it,” She opened a door and walked away. Squawkabilly flew after her.
“Something to show us?” Liko echoed, but Diana was already gone.
The Rising Volt Tacklers sat back down on the couches. Liko had retrieved Hatenna and put her back in her hood.
My grandmother really is an amazing adventurer. With Sprigatito, I hope to become as great as her, and Hatenna too! Liko looked over at Sprigatito, she yawned, curling back up. She told me all this because I took my first step. I’m happy to know she believes in me…
The night pressed on.
“Your grandma is really cool!” Roy and Liko were making idle chatter.
Friede crossed his arms, tapping with his finger.
“Yeah, she does stuff like this all the time,” Liko nodded.
“All the stuff we’ve discovered today would really put the others on the edge of their seats,” Friede kept tapping his finger. “I should call them and let them know we’re alive and well,” Friede pulled out his phone. Don’t think about it.
———
Diana walked down the dark hall of her castle, she had a lot of rooms.
She was quite excited to show the group Lucius’s memoirs.
Though she did wonder what the demon from the book was, what the circles were, and if the Friede guy was truly connected to the golden eyed figure.
“Diana!” Squawkabilly screeched, wings fluttered.
Diana looked at the window, where Arcanine and Blipbug stared in at her.
“Bli!”
“Ruarg! Rawrarwr!”
“Someone’s intruding?”
“Ruarg! Ruh!”
“That’s not good. Liko!” Diana looked back at the door, it wasn’t the one she directly came through, she had a lot of doors to go through to get back to the group.
———
Pagogo opened their eyes, there was the presence again, of their first trainer. They looked around, confused, where was she?
Sprigatito stretched and got up. “Myea!” She glared up.
“Ha?” Hatenna poked out of Liko’s hood. The emotions…
“What’s that?” Friede turned as Sprigatito hopped up on the couch. There was the sound of bells. They looked up at the balcony. The door that lead to the night sky.
Amethio descended dramatically on his Corviknight, walking through the door, eyes blazing, the rage in his eyes uncharacteristic, especially compared to how calmly he walked.
“Charizard!” Friede threw Charizard’s Pokeball, releasing her.
“Ruarg!” She growled.
“Charcoal,” Amethio threw a Pokeball, releasing a small little rock.
“Carbi!” Its black body glimmered with blue gems. Although it was tiny compared to Charizard. It hovered just on the railing as Charizard flew closer.
“You two, run!” Friede shouted at the kids.
Liko picked up Pagogo as Roy grabbed Fuecoco. Sprigatito glared at Amethio.
“Good evening, all,” Conia appeared from one side of the balcony with her Golduck, it growled. She ahd her hands on her hips.
“Nobody move,” Zir appeared from the other side with his Rhydon, it also growled.
Liko and Roy ran to one side of the room. Sprigatito followed. Roy had managed to shove his book back in his bag. Fuecoco was still drowsing.
“Fue?” He started waking up. “Fue?!” He panicked.
Pagogo stared at Amethio. {“You…”} They growled, uncharacteristicly. “PAGPAGTERAPAGOPAWG!”
Roy covered his ears. Liko tried to keep Pagogo in her grip, confused as Roy wasn’t translating. Friede was confused.
Amethio looked at the odd Pokemon, his ears twitched. “What do you mean ‘evil grass man’?”
{“You take her presence?! You act like nothing has happened?!”}
Amethio tilted his head. Isn’t that Figa? I thought there was only one left? They must be the tingly feeling I felt? I should report this.
{“FALSE HERO! TRAITOR! LIAR!”} Pagogo fell to the ground, still yelling at Amethio. {“You couldn’t have just died when you were supposed to!”}
Amethio was going through some stuff. There’s a second Terapagos. They want me dead? Why? Who is the evil grass man? Who is the ‘her’ all these Pokemon keep mentioning?
Amethio glared at the turtle that glared back, Ghost type moves wouldn’t work on it.
{“PERISH!”}
“HaHaHaHa!” Hatenna waved one of her flaps, standing on Liko’s shoulder.
“Hatenna!” Liko watched her partner hop to the floor.
“Ha!” Hatenna ran in a circle around Pagogo, trying to get them to calm down. The emotions were too strong for her, she laid down and stopped moving.
“Hatenna!” Liko ran over to the small Pokemon.
{“I HATE YOUUUUUU!”}
Amethio stood silent, watching the turtle.