Chapter 33 – Day 14, Part 1: Shut Down

Chapter 33: Day 14, Part 1 – Shut Down

Knock knock knock…

Fenn stared blankly at the door in a haze.

Last night had left him groggy—since after Marigold’s performance, Fenn and the rest of Team Lavender took their time to walk around the castle at night, something that none of them tended to do. But Finch insisted on it. And after all of the chaos of yesterday, it was nice to slow down and absorb the delicate atmosphere.

However, Fenn soon regretted shifting up his sleep schedule so suddenly. The stranger knocking at their door had decided to show up considerably earlier in the day than any of the team was comfortable with. Fenn especially didn’t miss having to wake up at this hour. It took the Quilava weeks before he was able to iron out his father’s designated early morning routine.

“Hmm…?” Fenn groaned. “W-who could…?”

He slowly raised his head from the bedsheets, sluggish and disoriented. It was enough to stifle Fenn’s inclination to jump up and answer the door, which gave a certain Dewott the time to beat him to the punch.

The bed’s mattress sank slightly as Oswald crawled to the edge. “I got it, I got it,” he muttered softly, sounding just as tired. His feet made a small thudding sound as they hit the carpet—and Fenn caught sight of the otter on his way to the door.

Fenn’s hazy eyes lingered on Oswald for a moment—watching. It would be a lie to say that Fenn never stole a glance at the Dewott when they were together before. Which is to say, at the start it was difficult; eye contact didn’t come naturally. Though as time went on, Fenn found it easier and easier to look Oswald in the eyes and laugh along with him. And then…Fenn didn’t want to stop.

Like right then…while Oswald was stretching his arms above his head, Fenn’s eyes were glued to the lithe muscles of his scraggly furry back. Even when he was covered in bruises, Fenn thought that Oswald was still easy to look at…

There was a spring in Oswald’s step—a barely noticeable one. Fenn noticed it, and it was as though Oswald was excited to be awake for once. He was in such good spirits that he turned his head before he reached the door and shot Fenn a warm smile. The kind of smile that heated Fenn up. Or maybe that was just Fenn’s own body heat. It tended to build up overnight to keep the fire type cozy, but he wasn’t usually this warm after waking up.

It almost made him forget about what he had planned today…

A light rustle could be heard, and a croc’s head poked out from the straw bed near the wall. “Whossat?” Finch slurred.

Similarly, Cosmo peered out from inside the bag near the nightstand. “A new…new—” Cosmo yawned, “—visitor to Cosmo’s lair?”

“Probably just the census or something,” Oswald said, waving the two off. “Go back to bed.”

If it were the census, Fenn assumed they would have been given more of a warning. And for that matter, who gave those busybodies the right to bother the four of them this early in the morning?

The door opened—that much Fenn knew—though who was on the other side of the door was a mystery at first. From where Fenn was laying, he could see that Oswald physically tensed up. Whoever it was surely caught him by surprise. “Oh…hello,” the Dewott uttered with uncertainty.

From the doorway came a voice. “Ah, Oswald. I see you have accumulated more injuries since our last meeting. How concerning.” The deeply ingratiating tone behind the stranger’s inflection sent a shiver up Fenn’s spine. He swiftly sat up, pointing his ears upright.

Oswald took a step back, giving the stranger space but not yet allowing him passage. “…Dr. Lupine,” he said, “what are you doing here?”

Lupine…? The head doctor?

Fenn faintly heard Lupine clicking his tongue— “Tsk tsk tsk.” —before stepping further into the room. “Have you forgotten? You may call me just Lupine, Oswald. Is your memory growing worse?”

NOW Fenn remembered. How could he forget the Slowking’s chilling smile and pompous demeanor? Just viewing the shadow of the crowned pokemon as he came into view sapped Fenn of the warmth he felt before. Again, he had to wonder, what was the castle’s head doctor doing here?

“…No,” Oswald responded hesitantly, stepping aside for the doctor. “I just prefer to stay…professional.”

Lupine hummed. “Hmm…” His walk around the room was quite jaunty, and it was accentuated by his hands being behind his back and his eyes wandering. “Impressive. I had heard you were accommodated well; the chambers of your colleagues pale in comparison.”

What an odd thing to say, Fenn thought.

“Right…” Oswald rubbed the back of his head. “Did you need anything, doctor? Anything specific…? Or did you just come here for a room tour?”

The Slowking turned on his heels and faced Oswald. “I really do insist,” he said, “call me ‘Lupine.'”

The smile…Fenn knew Lupine was smiling, just by the sound of his voice. And…the eyes…on the back of his shell. They betrayed his tone. While Lupine was formal and presumably at least trying to appear affable, those eyes…made Fenn recoil in terror. A lifetime’s worth of spite and hatred pierced past Lupine’s facade and glared right into Fenn’s soul. This Slowking’s intentions, regardless of how genuine he appeared, were not benevolent.

“…Fine,” Oswald conceded. “What do you want?”

“I simply wanted to inquire if you had reconsidered my offer.”

By this point, Finch was alert much like Fenn. He squinted at the Slowking with suspicion, and made himself appear smaller than before.

Oswald crossed his arms and frowned. Before replying, he shot Fenn a glance over Lupine’s shoulder. “I have plans for today, sorry.”

“I had presumed.” Lupine nodded. “Forgive me, that is why I arrived at this hour. If it is possible, I would like to begin meeting with you at around this time every day to discuss matters concerning your-“

“I’m not interested.” Not a second was wasted.

The Slowking didn’t sound satisfied with that answer. “Please, I insist. It is for the betterment of all of us that you lend me your mind only an hour daily.”

Fenn gulped. It was one thing for Oswald to act strange on a few occasions, but Lupine’s insistence made Fenn concerned. Was there more going on here?

Although, in retrospect, it was not like Fenn was particularly compelled to know what exactly that was at the moment. This Slowking made his blood go cold—and if he wanted to learn more about what Oswald was hiding, trusting the creepy doctor with eyes on the back of his skull was his last option. Besides, it was not the appropriate day to think about any of that.

Please, Oswald…tell him to leave.

“My answer hasn’t changed,” was Oswald’s response. His voice was growing more agitated.

“Would you prefer to discuss it over breakfast?” Lupine asked. “My associates would very much like to meet you. We can discuss exactly how you can contribute.”

This offer seemed sketchy to just about everyone in the room besides Lupine. Finch was mouthing something and crouching even lower, while Oswald only became more and more visibly irritated. At the same time, Fenn’s ears flattened against his head as he silently pleaded with Oswald to not consider any of this—all while mouthing “don’t.”

Oswald finally shook his head and said, “No. That’s my final answer. I want nothing to do with you or your ‘associates,’ doctor. I have enough to deal with as-is.”

A bit more of an aggressive answer than Fenn was comfortable with, but as long as it made the creepy Slowking leave…he held his breath.

Lupine huffed, at once removing his hands from behind his back. “How unfortunate…” he mused. “I had hoped you, Oswald—thoughtful as you can be—would have given this poor old mon the time of day.”

It was a relief that he didn’t. As standoffish as the Quilava admitted he could be, telling other pokemon “no” didn’t come easy. Oswald didn’t have any trouble with that, though. If only Fenn was that confident…

With his eyes narrowed, Oswald told the Slowking spitefully: “You don’t know me, Lupine. And I don’t know you. So no, I’m not going to be your guinea pig. I have more important things to care about.”

Ignoring the comment about being a “guinea pig” (Must be foreign…) Fenn unconsciously pumped his fist. More important was right. He could see it now…Oswald comes with Fenn to his hometown, alone. With his help, Fenn would finally get some closure. Fear would no longer pollute his brain every time he thought of home.

And then…maybe on the way back…they can spend some time alone together. Take a walk…spend the afternoon in town. Yeah…that would be nice. Fenn could see it now. Oswald’s happy smile…

Fenn had no idea where any of this was coming from. He assumed that he must have been in a good mood, not that he was complaining. After all, it had been a while—a week or so—since they were a team of two. Maybe wanting Oswald to himself for an afternoon was selfish…but then again, perhaps Fenn had earned the chance to be selfish for once. Nothing wrong with that. This Slowking just had to leave first…

Lupine sighed and shook his head solemnly. “So be it. I will not force you.”

And then he turned around.

Fenn flinched. What he saw was not the face of someone who had just been turned down after inviting someone to breakfast. It was something much more devious. The wrinkles around the water type’s eyes were stretched to the extreme, and his smile was much too exaggerated to be anything but fraudulent. All Fenn could think to do was shrink back and watch to see what this old pokemon would do.

Like before, Lupine stepped around in a jaunty fashion, his arms behind his back. “I see you have amassed quite the entourage of misfits.”

Misfits? Fenn held his breath.

Oswald’s incredulous blinks were practically audible. “Who are you to… Lupine, I have nothing more to say. What else do you want?”

Lupine ignored him. “They are quite the band of misfits, don’t you agree?” He continued, walking closer to the nightstand and looking down at the closed bag on the ground. “A child that believes himself to be a powerful hero that the legends fear!”

The bag shook slightly, nearly causing Fenn’s vents to burst alight. Take another step, I dare you, the fire type thought scornfully while gritting his teeth.

Thankfully, Lupine turned his attention elsewhere: Finch’s straw bed. “A known vagrant and conspirator,” he said. “How lucky you are to be in our good graces—else…drastic measures would be taken.”

Finch made himself as small as possible, only allowing his crocodilian snout to peer past the plentiful straw. The vitriol behind his glare was very apparent.

“Dr. Lupine,” Oswald tried to get a word in, “I would really appreciate it if you-“

Finally, Lupine’s eyes landed on Fenn.

His stare was chilling. There was something that Lupine knew that Fenn didn’t—that was how it read to him. Nothing but pure, icy cunning behind those withered facial features. And while Fenn rarely felt completely powerless, here it was as though his flames were already snuffed out.

“Ah, I see you still keep the liability around.”

W-what? Fenn’s heart sank. He hadn’t been called that since…

Oswald’s eyes widened in shock, and he sputtered. “L-Lupine, what the hell are you-“

Lupine turned in time to cut Oswald off, and the Slowking held up a hand. “Ah, Anemone told me all about it very recently,” he said. “She was surprised to hear that you two are still together as a team.”

Fenn was…confused. And taken aback. Didn’t Oswald say…? Anemone…changed her mind…

If Oswald was irritated before, he was downright furious now. “What- what makes you think that-“

Again, Lupine cut him off. “Speaking of Anemone, she would like to meet with you this morning, Oswald. Preferably as soon as possible.”

“WHAT!?” Oswald screeched.

The elderly Slowking was disturbingly calm. “You asked me why I came to you on this day. Now you are aware. Come. Let us not keep her in suspense.” Without waiting for Oswald to follow, Lupine headed for the door.

There was an air of shock and panic that shot through the room. Finch sprung up, spraying straw everywhere. His tail swung impatiently while he watched Oswald with wide eyes. Oswald, visibly stunned, could not focus on one target at a time for long; he was completely speechless. Cosmo poked his little head out of the bag, and in a perplexed tone, asked: “Who is…Anem- Animo- Ane- Ananamane…?”

And Fenn…Fenn was unsure of what to do anymore. Should he have been shocked? Disturbed? Frustrated? All of the above?

In times like this, Fenn found that trusting the heat of his flames was the best option. Or recently, looking to Oswald for answers. But…Fenn wasn’t so sure this time. After all, Oswald had lied, and said that Anemone didn’t feel that way anymore.

She admitted…that she was wrong. Oswald said so.

And yet, Lupine said the opposite. Was Fenn supposed to believe him? That Slowking?

“Oswald-!” Finch growled through gritted teeth. With his arm outstretched, he stumbled halfway across the room before stopping. “Did you…?”

Oswald breathlessly turned towards Finch and shook his head. No words left his parted lips, presumably because he already knew what Finch was asking about and didn’t need to say.

No, Oswald did not know this would happen today. None of them did.

The croc’s brows furrowed, but he added nothing. If there was anything to say here, he would have said it. Instead, Finch’s outstretched claw clenched shut, and it fell to his side.

Fenn so desperately wanted to say something. It was in times like this where the Quilava really did wish he could be more like Oswald, if only so he could know what to say and how to say it.

Frantically, Oswald’s eyes met Fenn’s. Was it guilt that Oswald was feeling? Or just fear? Maybe he was having trouble finding the right words, too, as hard as that was to believe. Whatever it was—it could be anything—Fenn wanted nothing more than to hear it.

As if on cue, Oswald opened his mouth to speak, only to be interrupted by Lupine calling him out into the hall. “Come along now, Oswald~! We don’t want to keep Anemone waiting, now do we?”

Emotions flashed across Oswald’s face faster than Fenn could process them. Oswald glanced between the door, Finch, and Fenn one more time…before saying something that made Fenn’s vents go cold all over again.

“Just- wait for me, okay?” he pleaded to Fenn. “Alright? I’ll be back soon. Just- gah! FREAKING-” The Dewott rushed out of the room quickly, slamming the door behind him.

“…”

“…”

“…”

Team Lavender’s room became uncomfortably quiet. Only Cosmo had anything to say.

A head in a purple bubble peeked over the edge of the bed. “…Fenn?” The Solosis spoke in a concerned sounding voice. “Where is…Oswald going?”

Fenn could not respond, even if he wanted to. All he could think about was the look in Oswald’s eyes as he left.

What was it? What was it? What was it?

It all happened so fast. One second Fenn was looking forward to today, but now…

“Cosmo, be quiet,” Finch said sternly. “Fenn.”

Fenn didn’t respond. He just kept staring at the door.

Finch tried again. “Fenn.”

Again, nothing from the Quilava.

“Fenn!” This time, he snapped his fingers to better get Fenn’s attention.

“H-huh?” That time worked. However, looking over at Finch only served to make Fenn bristle with rage. “What do you want? Can’t you see that…” Fenn stopped himself. Not today. No…he can’t act like that today…

“I’m gonna need you to calm down, hot stuff,” Finch continued. “All of us have a problem on our hands now.” Without wasting any time, Finch turned right back around to his bed and sifted through his belongings.

How could Finch possibly be slighted by any of what just happened? Sparks flew from Fenn’s forehead at the thought. They just met a few days ago! None of this was about him! “Wh-what are you talking about?” Fenn questioned with a fuming frown. Not today…

Bottles clattered against each other and berries tumbled onto the floor as Finch sifted through his things. He answered Fenn without turning around. “I was hoping to get a bit of a heads up before Oswald met with the queen. Seems like all of us could have done with that.” Finch pulled out a sack of coins before holding it up to see. He looked inside, scowled, then put it back down. “This is about as shitty as it can get for someone in my position.

It wasn’t worth scolding Finch for cursing; that was the last problem on Fenn’s mind. “Y-yeah, well…” the fire type stuttered without any elegance to speak of, “it’s not any better for me!”

Finch sighed, but kept searching through his stuff. “I know,” he admitted. “Not saying it isn’t.”

Everything about this was unfair. And to think that Finch felt the need to insert himself into this…

Flames finally burst from Fenn’s forehead. Keeping it in was impossible at this point. “This is just…so…stupid! Just…shut up, Finch!”

The Krokorok stopped. “…You’re not thinking straight.”

“How would you know-“

Click!

Before Fenn could finish the thought, Finch snapped his fingers, cutting Fenn off immediately. “Alright, let me explain,” Finch groaned as he shuffled over to the bed. An angry glare was not enough to stop Finch from sitting down next to the Quilava.

“Listen…” Finch softened his tone. There was something about how deflated Finch sounded that gave Fenn the impression that he was feeling somewhat regretful, despite Fenn’s perception of the croc. “If everything I’ve heard about the queen is true, then I messed up. Bad. I’m gonna need to leave for a few days.”

Fenn’s first reaction would have been to say good, he didn’t need the croc here. Finch had done nothing but bother them since he joined the team—something which Fenn never agreed to! That glare of Fenn’s didn’t let up, but against his better judgment he let Finch continue.

“It’s just…look, I’m sorry,” Finch said, scratching his cheek sheepishly. “I got too hasty. Saw an opportunity and took it. I knew right away that it made you uncomfortable.”

Wait…Finch was apologizing to Fenn directly? Not even relating to what just happened? Fenn blinked, and his flames faltered. “Y-you’re…?” he muttered.

“It’s not everyday that a twink with links to the most powerful monarch on the continent walks into the same bar you’re in. Only problem is that I needed to build up his trust first. You…weren’t a priority.”

That wasn’t really surprising. The not-a-priority part, that is. Fenn didn’t know what a twink was and he didn’t really want to ask.

The fact that the two of them barely interacted was a good indication that Finch didn’t care enough to get to know him. Not that Fenn wanted to get to know Finch anyway; he was nothing but trouble. Besides, Finch admitting to his faults didn’t change Fenn’s opinion of the croc. Not yet.

“W-why did you lead us to that bar under that diner?” Fenn interrogated him out of exasperation. He had been wondering about this since yesterday, and now seemed like as good a time as any to ask. “How did you know who that guy was?”

Finch just frowned. “Mom always told me to use everything you’ve got to make a point. I heard ‘Turaco’ and got an idea: show Ozzy that I wasn’t lying when I said I had connections.

“But I knew those guys. I know Iris, too. Pretty soon Big Mama’s gonna have everything she needs to weed ’em out, though—and it’s all my fault. That’s why I need to leave.”

Things were starting to make a bit more sense. Even though Finch put the team in more danger than was probably necessary, he wasn’t lying. He had a reason to do everything he did. Granted, his methods made Fenn uneasy. But from the sounds of it, he was going to try and fix his mistakes after the fact. Fenn couldn’t deny that, regardless of how angry he was. Maybe…first impressions weren’t always correct…

None of that mattered to Fenn, though. Not after what just happened. The flames had since died out—any anger directed at Finch no longer at the forefront of Fenn’s mind.

No, it all came back to what Lupine said.

Liability…liability…liability…

Fenn’s gaze fell to the floor. He began to rub his arm as he thought…and thought. The rubbing got faster and more rough as the thoughts became more intrusive.

I know…Oswald lied for a good reason. I don’t blame him for that. I don’t care if he lied about anything. He does that all the time anyways. I shouldn’t care…it doesn’t matter…

It wasn’t enough. “H-hey…Finch?” Fenn breathed out in barely a whisper.

Finch said nothing in response, so Fenn took that as his cue to say his piece.

“Do you…do you agree with what he said…about me?” Fenn asked. “Is he right?”

“…Who?”

“Th-the doctor.”

“What he said about you?”

“Y…yeah…”

There was a pregnant pause, followed by a sigh from Finch. “…I’ll be honest with you, kid, I barely know you. You’re strong, I know that. But that’s not enough sometimes. You shouldn’t entertain the opinion of some old fart that walked into your home without asking, though, even if he’s a professional. Don’t listen to him.”

There was no reason to disagree with Finch there. It wasn’t necessarily that simple, but Lupine had no reason to even bring that up.

Fenn…was just conflicted. He wanted to listen to Oswald and Finch—they both spoke positively of the Quilava. They knew him, for the most part. But he also felt that he needed to listen to Anemone. She literally looked inside Fenn’s brain and came to that conclusion in retrospect. When was Fenn ever going to get an assessment as thorough as that again?

Arceus, now he was starting to remember what those two months after he got to Kebia was like. Every day these thoughts were on loop. Fenn, apparently, was not the skilled explorer he had been taught and pushed to be his whole life, nor a warrior.

No, his true calling was as a janitor. That was the role he filled, apparently. And he accepted it because saying “no” meant going home a failure.

Going home…oh Arceus…

Fenn began to tremble a bit. “I…I don’t know…” he muttered.

“There’s more, isn’t there?” Finch asked knowingly. “It’s not just the word.”

Fenn nodded.

“Is it Ozzy?”

Fenn nodded a second time. “H-he and I…were going to go to my h-home town today,” the fire type admittedly shakily. “We were going to visit my parents.”

“Just the two of you?”

“…Yeah. I-I wanted him to be there with me…but…he said the opposite of what the doctor said at one point. He said Anemone changed her mind about me…and…”

Gently, Finch rested a claw on the fire type’s shoulder. “You care about him, don’t you?” Finch said quietly.

Hesitantly, Fenn nodded. There was brotherly quality to Finch’s gesture that Fenn couldn’t place. If he was in a better mood—or even a worse mood—Fenn would have reacted to it. Instead, he kept his gaze glued to the floor.

“You care about him a lot. I can tell. Enough to just accept it when he let me tag along. Enough to trust him despite the fact that he lies. Often.”

“H-he doesn’t…” Fenn tried to say something but stopped himself. “He doesn’t…”

“I get it.” The croc’s words became almost soothing. “I know what it’s like to find out that the pokemon you love isn’t who they say they are.”

Love…

“What do you want to do now?” Finch asked.

What did Fenn want to do now? Like before, he was conflicted. He could stay and wait for Oswald…or go home by himself. So much of yesterday was spent hyping himself up for this, so Fenn didn’t want to wait anymore. He couldn’t.

Neither option was particularly appealing. Last time Oswald went to go see Anemone it lasted all day, and it wasn’t like Fenn wanted to see Oswald again so soon anyways. That conversation would be just as painful as the one he’d have with his parents—he was sure of it.

In the span of time it took Fenn to think, Finch offered his opinion while giving the Quilava’s shoulder a gentle squeeze. “It’s up to you, Fenn. Do what you think is best. But believe me when I say that sitting and waiting is just about the worst thing you can do. You’ll…build up these scenarios in your head—each one worse than the last. By the time you see blue-boy again you’ll read it all off like a script, and regret it. Whatever you do, don’t stay in this room.”

There was some truth in that advice. Fenn was already thinking up ways that the confrontation could go. In fact, he had already done the same before with the talk he would have had with his parents today. Many, many times.

And besides, Fenn was going to go home alone in the first place. He could absolutely handle it. It was just…in the span of a week or so, Oswald left an impression on Fenn. A big one. Going against his word would be like…betrayal.

But then again…did Oswald feel the same way when he decided to lie for Fenn’s sake? Was it a good idea to bring Oswald along if he’d just resort to propping Fenn up instead of being honest when he needed to be?

Ultimately, Fenn made his choice: he was going home without Oswald at his side. That fantasy he had of the two of them spending time together would be pushed to the back of his mind like the argument he envisioned he would have with the Dewott later. For now, Fenn’s mind was elsewhere.

A warrior does not lie. A warrior never needs the help of others. A warrior can handle himself…

And I’m a warrior.

“I…I’ll go without him,” Fenn said, finally looking Finch dead in the eyes. Although he tried to hide it, the sadness in Fenn’s expression was clearer than glass. The words burned his throat in a way that his inherited fire never did.

Finch gave him an understanding nod. It was obvious that he wanted to know more, but the croc kept it simple and brief without asking for any more elaboration. “Get going then. I’ll see you when I get back. And when I do, you better be in good spirits.” A slight smirk curled onto his jaws. “Got it?”

Despite everything Fenn still found it in him to smile back. Though that quickly faded when he remembered something important.

Fenn spun around and caught sight of a Solosis anxiously peeking over the side of the bed. “Wait, Cosmo!” he cried, blanching. Throughout all of that Cosmo had been so silent that Fenn forgot he was there. But he was glad that he remembered, because with all three of the other members of the team gone Cosmo would be left alone.

Timidly, Cosmo floated upward so the two pokemon could better see him. “Um…why is everyone leaving?” he asked. Cosmo was undoubtedly lost after everything that was said.

Finch smacked himself on the forehead. “Daaammmnnng it! Forgot about the kid.”

As much as Fenn hated to admit it, so did he. His ears drooped as it really hit him how negligent it would have been of him to leave without finding out what to do about this. Not only did Fenn not trust Cosmo to be on his own, but he also didn’t know of a solution for this situation. Who was Fenn supposed to ask to look after Cosmo while they were all gone?

The worst part was that Fenn’s hesitance to give a response right away made Cosmo more and more concerned; the Solosis shook more in suspense with each passing second.

Frantically, Fenn looked between Cosmo, the door, and Finch a few times before finally landing on Finch. “H-hey, Finch…”

“You don’t have anybody else to ask?” the croc wondered, knowing exactly where this was going.

No, Fenn did not. That was a downside of being a loner with only a few close friends. The only pokemon he could think of off the top of his head that could help was Marigold, Cycla, and maybe a couple of the pokemon he used to sleep next to when he was a janitor. None of which likely had the time to babysit Cosmo. “Uh…n-no,” Fenn admitted. “Not really.”

Finch’s face fell upon hearing that. “…Well, neither do I. So it looks like one of us is going to have to stay here with him.”

Please don’t flip a coin. Fenn felt terrible about being a little selfish in this situation, but after what Finch said earlier…

“I…um…” Fenn rubbed his arm and looked away.

Thankfully, Finch saw the discrepancy just as quickly, as he sighed a moment later. “…I guess I’m not in as much of a rush as I thought,” he said, audibly disappointed. “Go do your thing. I’ll look after the kid.”

Fenn’s ears shot up and his widened eyes shot back to the Krokorok. “Are you…are you sure?” Fenn breathed.

“Don’t make me change my mind, Fenn. Just go.”

A large, joy-filled smile spread across Fenn’s face, and he lunged forward, pulling Finch into a hug. “Thank you!” he cried. “Finch, thank you so much! I-I’ll make it up to you, I promise.”

“Yeah yeah yeah…” Finch replied while half-heartedly patting Fenn on the back. The hug was less rough than the Quilava was expecting—what with Finch being surprisingly soft and deceptively muscular. It was hard to let go. “Just get back soon, alright? I don’t want to wait too long.”

Fenn had a feeling it wouldn’t take that much time, but he promised the croc silently that he’d be back before noon regardless. All he had to do was tell his dad one thing. That was it.

It was a big thing. A daunting thing. But Fenn was tentatively certain that he had the strength to go through with it.

He didn’t need someone there to back him up, that was for certain. With Oswald’s track record he might have potentially made things worse, actually.

With a few reassuring words given to Cosmo, Fenn sprinted out of Team Lavender’s room and rushed down the stairs to the lobby. The nervousness would build and build with each step along the way, but Fenn knew in his heart that everything would be fine by the time he got back. Heck, his success might give him the courage to talk to Oswald after all.

Those optimistic thoughts would only get him so far, though. He needed to be a warrior for everything to go well.

Warriors don’t fail.

---

Oo-oO

Come on…COME OOOOOONNNNN!

Each step away from Team Lavender’s room hurt more than the last. It was like the carpets on the way to the elevator were full of nails. And there was an invisible hand coaxing me to keep moving, while also forcing me to keep from screaming.

Because god damn, I wanted to scream.

I was…that close. THAT CLOSE. AND THEN THIS GERIATRIC FU-

“You seem upset, human,” Lupine said as he led me along.

I was unsure at this point if he was that invisible hand or if it all came back to Anemone. Either answer made sense. Though Lupine’s willingness to throw me under the bus was pretty suspect.

“How did you even hear about that?” I asked suddenly without giving any respect to what Lupine just said. I knew that he wasn’t actually concerned; he was just trying to upset me more. “There’s no god damn way that Anemone just told you.”

The Slowking hummed knowingly. “Are you so certain? We talk quite often.”

“Out with it.”

He stopped in front of Anemone’s personal elevator before turning around to face me, all while wearing this smug grin that made me want to tear his eyes out. “Do you recall what I said when we first met?”

The scissor gates opened. I hadn’t even noticed how fast we got to the elevator. With hardly any pokemon roaming the halls to slow us down today, it only took a few anger-fueled minutes.

I furrowed my brows, unamused. “Don’t talk about it like it was a first date, you bastard. Answer the question.”

Dr. Lupine stepped inside the elevator, seemingly unaffected by my comment. “I had access to your mind for an extended period of time. Don’t you recall?”

Reluctantly, I stepped inside and kept to the wall furthest from the Slowking. Once he threw the switch and the elevator started ascending, I spoke. “So, you poked around in my brain and used my own memories against me. Is that what you’re getting at?”

“Hmmm consider it a byproduct of saving your life by extracting the dungeon’s influence.”

That only answered the first part of my assessment. “Why?”

“Why did I save your life?” He was still smiling.

I crossed my arms. “No. What do you want from me?” I finally asked. That was probably what he wanted me to ask from the very beginning.

As expected, his grin grew larger. “Like I said, your cooperation.”

“You sabotaged my relationship with a close friend so you could use me to get off to human knowledge? That’s your idea of cooperation.”

Lupine shook his head and let out a short laugh. “Those are not the words I would use; I did not sabotage you. Which is to say, you are taking this too poorly, Oswald. I have dabbled in memory erasure much before. And while I cannot restore yours, I can certainly do the opposite to others.”

Is he…offering what I think he’s offering?

I stared at him incredulously. “…So it’s not sabotage. It’s blackmail.”

“Tsk tsk tsk.” Lupine shook his head. “You act as though I would be doing you anything but a favor. I experienced the difficulties you encountered when interacting with your ‘partner.’ I can assist in ways that few others could.”

At that moment, the elevator came to a stop. I threw open the scissor gate and stomped outside before quickly spinning around and pointing a finger at Lupine.

“Go fuck yourself.”

Throughout the whole ride, Lupine’s smile did not fade. Even while I told him in the clearest terms possible that I wanted nothing to do with his manipulative ass, he kept giving me that smug look. “Well,” he chuckled, “enjoy your talk with Anemone. She has quite a bit to discuss with you.”

I wanted to cuss him out some more, but him mentioning Anemone reminded me of something that made my blood run cold:

Oh shit. I have to talk to Anemone.

“…Yeah…” was all I had to say before turning around and walking towards the throne room doors. I wasn’t the least bit ready to step inside. However, if it meant getting away from that creep, I could manage. Thankfully, the sound of the elevator gates screeching to a close sounded out a few seconds later.

So, Anemone…

I stood in front of the doors with one paw on a scalchop at my hip. The towering entrance was more imposing than ever before, considering everything that needed to be said at this point. Despite my best efforts, the dread I felt over having to walk into the next room made my tail sag against the floor.

Where was I even supposed to start? It had barely been a week, but the time since our last meeting felt like a lifetime. So much had happened…and I was expected to get an answer for all of it during this talk. A lot depended on me saying the right thing and not pissing Anemone off.

Suddenly, after a few moments of staring at nothing in particular, the doors of the throne room rumbled open, with tons of wood and metal roaring loud enough to make a Pyroar blush. I had to cover my ears; the first few steps weren’t this unimaginably harsh on the senses last time. Or the time before that…

I was hesitant to move. Already, I could see a tall figure standing near the back of the room, past the sunlight pouring from the stained glass windows onto the illustrious carpet. I was angry before, then I was on edge once I lost sight of Lupine. But while I was standing before the gap between those throne room doors…I was apprehensive to take another step.

…And you know why. The least you could do is make things easy on me.

The figure—Anemone—acted as though she didn’t see me, but I knew she did. Even with her back to me. Those doors would not have opened had she not have known.

My mind was racing. First thing I wanted to do was berate her for keeping a grudge against Fenn of all people, but that was more Lupine’s fault, wasn’t it? Er, mine, really.

Why did I have to lie? Actually, I know why: this was never supposed to come up again.

It was never supposed to come up at all. I was right to lie to Fenn. Thank you for making me do that, Anemone.

And with that in mind, I had a perfectly good reason for wanting to yell at the psychic type. By all accounts, I did nothing wrong, and neither did Fenn.

That train of thought left me with a place to start. I stomped my way across the carpet to Anemone’s desk at the back of the throne room.

I squinted at the bright sunlight beating down on me as I walked, covering my eyes with one arm and continuously rubbing my scalchop with the paw on the other. With each step, my heart beat faster—and the tall figure became more prominent. Though after a certain point, I sniffed and caught a whiff of something…earthy. A raw herbal smell.

Tea. I was smelling tea.

“Yes, would you like some?”

The overbearing and bossy tone of voice that I was expecting from Anemone was restrained when she talked over her shoulder. The Gardevoir turned—a cup and saucer in her hands. A consistent billowing of steam rose from the brown liquid in the cup.

Her smile made me uncomfortable; “forced” was an understatement. It was the kind of smile a grandparent would have when they made cookies and wanted nothing more than for their grandkid to enjoy them. But those cookies were no doubt poisoned—I could tell. And grandma knew that but also knew that I couldn’t say no. That was the kind of expression Anemone wore—unsettling wrinkles and all.

Anemone breathed a quick laugh. “What a disturbing mental image,” she said. “Personally, I always considered the ‘bossy’ assessment to be a bit sexist. I’ll have you know, though, it’s only tea. Green tea. I haven’t poisoned it.” Her smile only seemed to grow.

I nearly bit my tongue. Not even a minute in and I was already screwing up.

Anemone took a sip of her tea, watching me.

Already embarrassed, I cleared my throat and rubbed the back of my head. “Uh…hello, Anemone,” I muttered.

She set the cup and saucer down on the desk behind her. “We can skip the hellos and formalites. I don’t particularly care and I have a lot to do before the day is done. Ugh…Shaymin Festivals are dreadful.”

“Shaymin Festival-?” I didn’t get to finish before Anemone cut me off.

“You’ll figure it out later. Now then: tea?”

Behind Anemone on the desk was a large glass kettle resting on a metal burner. The design was something that I registered right away as the kind of device a person would use to make tea. Complete with a handle and spout for the tea to be poured out of. It was also relatively modern by what I understood from Pamtre standards; there was a damn LED clock with red digital numbers on the burner, even. Micle might have had something like this, but I never saw a pokemon making tea there. Not even in the diner. Where did Anemone get it?

I got my answer once the mind reader began pouring me a cup. “In a Spatial Dungeon, if you can believe it.” She suddenly turned her head and smirked at me, causing me to shirk back. “You probably can. Actually, don’t answer that- I’m getting to it.” Anemone finished pouring my drink before continuing.

Cup of green tea in hand, Anemone paced to my left. “It’s interesting to me how you remember all of these small concepts,” she said. “Do you think you liked tea when you were human?”

Considering that I had no craving for it, I shook my head. Although it might have just been my anxiety during this situation, I don’t know.

Anemone rubbed her forehead. “The tea was supposed to help with that! I had no other reason to dig it out, unless you happen to know how to fix an older one I had.”

She found two- nevermind. I shrugged.

“Hmm…” Anemone hummed thoughtfully, then looked between me and the tea. “Are you sure you don’t want any? You might not get another chance anytime soon.”

I held up a paw. “No thanks.”

“Are you sure?”

I nodded.

Just like that, the fake smile was gone. “Fine then.” Anemone brusquely set the cup down then proceeded to pace in the other direction. “Let’s get down to the question that you wanted to ask but failed to do so.”

I raised an eyebrow. Is she referring to Fenn? Or is she-

Again, she interrupted my thoughts. This time her voice was appropriately exasperated and irritable. “No, Oswald. Stop wasting both of our time. You already arrived at a conclusion all on your own; you don’t need me to tell you that your little flaming friend has issues with moving on.”

Oh, if we were going to talk about Fenn, then I wanted to give her a piece of my mind. “Then what was that about Lupi-” But she cut me off again before I could get another word in.

“Shut up,” Anemone said abruptly. “I don’t care. Now-” the clap of her hands echoed throughout the room, “-dungeons.”

…Oh right. That. I opened my mouth to reply, only to close it a moment later.

The Gardevoir began to pace down the carpet with her arms behind her back, leaving me to watch in a huff. “I suppose I should start by saying that there is a proper reason as to why you have not been given the full explanation up to this point. Compared to how long these pockets of strangeness have been around—centuries, most likely—little is actually known to be concrete. They all seem to work differently.”

“…I gathered that,” I said. “There’s an entrance, white staircases, ferals that try to kill you…” I could sit around and rant about these places all day, but that would just be a waste of time, yeah?

Anemone stopped in place and glanced at me over her shoulder. The glint in her eye reminded me of Calluna, honestly; I walked right into her next conversation topic. “Would you like to know something interesting, Oswald?” she asked.

Saying yes or no would be pointless.

“Humor me for a second.”

…Fine. “What is it?” I sighed.

While pacing back towards the desk, her stride had a slight skip to it. “Had Fenrir paid attention to his lectures in full, he would know that those white staircases are not particularly common.”

My first reaction to hearing her call Fenn by that name was to frown, but what she said afterwards distracted me and made me flinch. “What do you mean?” I wondered.

“It’s self explanatory, Oswald. You’d be hard pressed to find a single pokemon in this castle that has encountered more white staircases in their lifetime than you have in the past week or two. Why do you think that is?”

The implications were already starting to dawn on me. That said, her tone gave me the impression that I was missing something. Either that, or Anemone was mocking me.

Well, are you?

“No,” she said simply with a slight smirk.

“Then I’m not sure,” I admitted. “I want to say ‘because I’m a human,’ but it can’t be that simple.”

Now back at the desk, Anemone leaned up against it casually. “And what if I told you that it was?”

The fur on the back of my neck stood on end. “Where are you going with this?”

“Where do you think? Not all of us have gone through what you have in those hellscapes. Mago Canyon is meant to just be a canyon. Albeit an awfully vicious one—but even then, less experienced pokemon have reached the end with less resistance before.

“In the same vein, Grepa Lake is so non-threatening that the local children dare each other to reach the end often, and they come back safely every time.” She scoffed. “Kelpsy Fields? I was born there. It took my family and I years before we realized what our home was built upon.”

Listening to Anemone became difficult with how loud my heart was pounding in my ears. By the time she mentioned Grepa Lake I wanted to vomit. That remained true until she mentioned Kelpsy Fields, after which I couldn’t contain my laughter.

“Ha…haha…born in a dungeon,” I muttered, trying to relax my shoulders. “That’s really funny, Anemone. But you know what you didn’t mention? And you wanna know why I think you’re so full of shit?”

I waited a second for a response, only to get an unamused frown instead.

“Fenn saw all of this, too,” I said pointedly. “If the white staircases are so rare, then why was Fenn expecting them before we even met?”

Anemone just shrugged. “I have an entire castle’s worth of pokemon at the back of my mind and even I can’t give you a definitive answer. In case you haven’t noticed, Spatial Dungeons are not exactly consistent.”

The words left my mouth faster than I could process them. “Well, yeah, still! If they’re not consistent then it’s insane to assume that I’m the dependent factor here. Maybe it’s just my luck, who knows.”

I can’t be the only one experiencing this. I can’t. Someone out there knows what’s going on…

If Anemone had rolled her eyes any harder they would have fallen into the back of her skull. “Okay, Oswald,” she groaned impatiently, “you can sit there and call it whatever you want, whine and whine about how much everything is terrible, and then wake up the next day still wondering if you’re going crazy or not. You’re welcome to cope. But calling me a liar?”

Anemone laughed so loudly that it reverberated across the titanically sized walls. “HA! Denial won’t save you, you little shit.”

…I knew she was right, as much as I hated to admit it. Honestly, it was my mistake to think that I could deny anything she said. It was obvious that I was being targeted.

That didn’t stop me from pointing a finger and firing back, though. Because nothing about this new information improved my current situation. They weren’t answers or results.

“Yeah, you are a liar! Whatever happened to keeping this between us? Whatever happened to helping me? What have you been doing this whole time?” My face grew more and more red with each word thrown.

Perhaps Anemone didn’t have any ground to stand on. Considering all I knew, she had no excuse for doing nothing but making things worse for me and the rest of the castle. But evidently, that wasn’t what she cared to point out.

“Oh, I’m so sorry, flower boy,” Anemone taunted. “Let me drop everything and take you down to the market so you can ask the nice mon behind the stand for some shaved ice. I can pat you on the head and tell you how good of a job you’re doing!”

Flower boy…?

I scoffed sardonically. “Are you always this petty?”

Abruptly, Anemone’s voice took on an icy cold tone. “Do you always fail to do what’s asked of you?”

“What-?”

CRASH!

A tea cup was flung onto the ground, spilling the brown liquid. I didn’t have a chance to react before the Gardevoir pushed herself off the table, stormed forward with her arm outstretched ahead of her, and psychically pushed me onto my back so forcefully that it knocked the air out of my windpipe. Immediately, my stomach dropped.

Wait, hold on-

“I TOLD you to KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT!” Anemone shouted blaringly loud. “All you had to do was STAY QUIET!”

And there was the Anemone I was afraid of. Up until now, I had the optimistic outlook that she would tell me something important and then I could leave and go look for Fenn before it was too late.

I am an idiot.

I held up my paws in surrender, trying to scoot back away from the furious Gardevoir screaming in my face. For a second before this, I thought I had an edge on the conversation. After all, I was right to be upset with Anemone about treating me and Fenn like garbage.

Anemone leaned down until she was inches from my face. Her features contorted into a monstrous figment of what it used to be, her hateful gaze boring into me. “But you were going to admit that you went behind my back, weren’t you?” she said resentfully.

My entire body was shaking. The soreness I felt from the bruises I still had only served to make me feel more wimpy and sluggish. I nodded with a pathetic whimper.

“You and your little friends went off across the continent and nearly got yourself found out. You ran out into the courtyard and caused a scene just the other day. And then you go and outright TELL your emotional support Quilava that you may as well be the reason for all of the unrest on this continent.

“I’ll be honest with you, Oswald. I’m genuinely surprised that you haven’t shouted out the truth to every single pokemon you’ve met so far.”

Even if I wasn’t a step away from pissing myself out of fear, I couldn’t really refute my various screw ups since waking up in Pamtre. Yes, I took a risk at Colbur Village. I knew that following Finch to Micle was a bad idea. And yeah, I was well aware that telling Fenn a half truth and going against Anemone’s word would just land me in more hot water.

But I did those things anyway. Each risk was another potential chance that I’d end up kidnapped. Or killed. Or I’d put not just another mon but the entire continent in danger. I’ll admit that.

“I-I-I’m an idiot, okay?” I stuttered quickly. “I get it! But…look! Everything’s fine, isn’t it? I just got impatient! You wouldn’t have even known if you hadn’t read my mind!”

I could only imagine how pathetic I looked and sounded to the Gardevoir. It didn’t take much for me to fold.

With her arms crossed, Anemone rolled her eyes again. “Oh, shut up, will you? How many times do you have to repeat how pitiful and cowardly you are before you jump off a damn tree? I am. SICK of it. You can’t go through one line of thought without feeling sorry for yourself, can you?”

What…how…how was I supposed to respond to that? I stared back at Anemone in disbelief.

“How dreadful it must be for you!” the Gardevoir jeered in a condescending tone. “Oh, you have to learn how to adjust to our customs and learn how to act like the rest of us!” She brought her arm to her forehead and faked a near fainting. “How could anyone ever do that?”

I blinked. My heart beat was gradually slowing down. Because after hearing all of that…I was less scared as much as I was just…incredulous.

“…You’re despicable…” I whispered. I couldn’t believe that it took me this long to come to that conclusion. “Holy shit…were you even planning on helping me at all?“

Finally, Anemone took a step back then turned her back to me. Her voice was as cold as ice, just like before. “Any other pokemon in your position would have accepted their place by now. But you—you’re nothing more than a lost cause. Oswald, from this day forward-“

She turned her head and shot me a glare with enough vitriol to shoot Rayquaza out of the sky. “-you are banned from leaving this castle.”

Something shattered in my brain.

“Wha-“

Wha-

My face fell. My lips went dry. My muscles went numb.

You can’t-

“You…you…”

Every nerve in my brain fought to decide on how to even begin to process this.

“You..you b…bi…”

YOU BITCH!

Those two words won over all others.

“Do you believe I am being unfair?” Anemone challenged.

I shot up to my feet, ignoring the sudden shot of pain in my chest. Damn bruises…

“No shit that’s unfair!” I bellowed with clenched fists. “You can’t just keep me here! What gives you the right to do that!?”

“My right…” Anemone started by pointing at the purple piece of cloth around my neck, “has to do with the agreement we came to.” She shook her head as she spoke. “Don’t you forget, Oswald. You need me. What’s the point of my assistance or even giving you the freedom to leave this castle if you are just going to squander it?”

But that lead I got…

“…That’s just not true,” I said.

Anemone scoffed dismissively. “I’m not putting the cosmic significance of you being here in the hands of some worthless vagrants! Get over it! Knowing you—and I do—this is for the best.”

No, it wasn’t. Past mistakes notwithstanding, being condemned to never leave the castle again wouldn’t lead to any faster results. And considering that Anemone wasn’t doing anything this was just her exerting power over me.

So what if I get caught and something happens to me? I can’t go and help Fenn if leaving the castle isn’t an option anymore! This human question is driving me crazy, and you know that! You can’t do this to me!

With her psychic powers, Anemone telekinetically lifted the fragments of the broken tea cup off the ground and sorted it onto the table. The tea itself was next. She did this slowly, and as methodically as possible without looking at me.

…Why don’t you whistle while you’re at it? If you’re gonna ignore me, do it right. You wretched, spiteful, detestable, horrid piece of…

The tea landed back into the tea kettle with a plop. And at the same time, Anemone began stacking and sorting the other tea cups with her telekinesis. “You can leave now,” she said. “That was all I wanted to tell you.”

I breathed heavily as I stared at the back of her head, waiting for…something. Each solitary breath brought on another intrusive implication: I could not leave the castle anymore, I couldn’t go with Fenn to see his parents, all of that effort was wasted, that lead was gone…

It hurt. Each realization that hit was more painful than the last. It took everything in me to not break down right then and there.

I lifted my arms as if I wanted to say something substantial only to let them go limp at my sides. “So that’s it then?” I asked, my voice breaking. “This is what the queen is really like? False promises and…cruel punishments?”

Several tea cups clattered together as Anemone froze. Her back was still to me, and she spoke in a hoarse whisper. “I hate that word. ‘Queen.’ I hear it so much…”

When Anemone looked over and met my gaze, I saw that same tiredness that she had in her eyes when we first interacted. It was as though she aged half a century at the sound of a single word. It made me take a step back in surprise.

“It doesn’t mean what they think it means,” she said disdainfully. “It implies that I’m above them, but they use it as an insult.”

She laughed. “The funny thing is that they’re not even wrong. I am above them. And that’s because I don’t violate and mutilate others in my mind. Constantly and constantly. Especially not while they are still in the same room as me.”

Her eyes became distant. “You think of me as cruel…you go behind my back…you laugh and cry without thinking about it…

“How wonderful that must be…you live such carefree lives…”

I stared back, unsure of how to respond. “…”

There was no humor in what she was saying. The Anemone that mocked me earlier could not be further away. I was captivated; a sobering reminder that despite how despicable Anemone was, she was still a pokemon. And reconciling that fact was harder than I expected.

She shook her head in disgust. “You’re no different, human. Go.” Half-heartedly, she pointed at the two doors to this room. “Leave me alone.”

It took me several quiet moments before I could bring myself to move. After all, I was unfulfilled. More needed to be said. But after a certain point, what was there to say? Even if I had the energy or capability to do so, convincing Anemone to change her mind wasn’t an option.

It was done. All I had to do was walk out.

Anemone, similarly, said nothing. Even after the tea was all sorted, she propped herself on the desk and would not turn around.

“…”

“…”

Eventually, my gaze fell to the floor. I cut my losses, let out a defeated sigh, and walked away.

By the time I made it to the elevator, I was exhausted. The lack of sleep, the soreness behind the bruises, the rapid decline of my mental state…

It was hard to stay standing. I had to lean up against the wall while taking the elevator back down to the first floor, already dreading the extra stairs I’d have to climb. Plus, knowing that I couldn’t even leave the castle now…it demotivated me considerably. Like, why bother?

Also, when a ghostly figure proceeded to phase through the wall, I barely so much as flinched.

“Oswald~!” came the singsong and sultry voice of a Mismagius in a good mood. “You seem a bit glum.”

All I had to respond with was, “…Calluna. Do you already know?”

Her smile was shadowed by the brim of her hat. “Of course I do. That won’t stop me from helping to cheer you up, though.”

Just then, the elevator slowed to a halt. I threw open the doors without looking back and walked out. “I have somewhere to be.”

“If you are talking about Fenn-dear,” Calluna called out from behind me, “he left the castle a bit ago.”

I didn’t even question how she knew right away. I was too busy being completely shell shocked, not even making it a few steps out of the elevator. “Are you kidding me?” I asked shakily.

Not only was the rug pulled out from under me, a chandelier also crashed on my head just to rub it in. Words could not describe how devastated I was. I wanted to curl up and die.

The ghostly woman slowly entered my vision from the side. Now less playful and more serious, Calluna whispered, “Anemone can be quite cruel, I know. If you would be willing, I would like to help you forget about it.”

Had I been in a better mood I might have taken that differently, or played along. Instead, I couldn’t even lift my head to respond. “What’s the point?”

Calluna chuckled. “You might miss the festival if you don’t.”

“Festival?” I looked up slightly to see the surprisingly smile she wore. “Outside of the castle?”

“Yes. I wanted to speak with you there.”

“Even if I had the energy for that…you already said that you knew. Why are you even asking?”

Calluna’s ghostly body swayed with a nonexistent wind, her tassels implicitly beckoning me to follow as she floated away from the elevator.

“Because rules were made to be broken,” she smirked. “Come.”

I opened my mouth to respond, only to close it a few seconds later. It was gone. All of my willingness to snark and fight back was gone.

If I couldn’t go back to the room and see Fenn, then why should I care?

My tail dragged across the ground as I followed Calluna through the castle hallways and out of the castle itself. Anemone was right about one thing: I really was a lost cause. Going behind her back just came naturally to me, and this was proof.

When I thought of it that way, I was downright compelled to follow Calluna. Anything to rub sand in the queen’s eyes…