Banished.

His goal was near completion. He was so close. His hand was reaching out before him. Despite the unconscious Giratina by his side, it didn’t stop him from progressing towards the child. The one who had beaten him in the battle for the plates. 

The one who denied him of his mission and goal. To see and find Arceus for himself. Using the being of antimatter to try and get and achieve this goal. Of capturing the God of all Pokémon to create a peaceful world. 

He had failed. In his rage and anger, he loomed over the boy before releasing a frustrated roar, “WHY YOU!? Of all people, you had to be the one. ” The man roared to the world, from atop the ruined mountain. His spooky plate was already in the possession of the boy, “I refuse to sit by the sidelines, and I cannot accept a world in which you ever manage to defeat Arceus.”

“Someday. I’ll solve every riddle of Hisui’s Pokémon. And on that day. I’ll stand before Arceus at last- No. I will CONQUER it! No matter how long it takes me!”

The man would stalk away from the boy who claimed his prize. The man was furious, but he’d lost. He would not see Arceus. If he couldn’t seek the god out this way. He’d find another…

From within his head. He’d hear a laugh. One that felt familiar yet distant, ”You’re filled with rage. Losing to a child?” 

The man growled in fury at the voice within his head, “You! You Coward! You fled the moment we lost!”

”And you missed the point of it all. That boy’s lesson.” The Dragon replied, simply their tone still filled with humor. 

“Why you- You’ll never be as strong as your siblings, you pathetic excuse for a god!” The blond haired man shouted back, “You-” There was a sudden shift below him, as if the ground beneath him was suddenly pulled out from underneath him, and the man fell.

He fell and fell and fell, he swung and yelled into the air. The Dragon didn’t respond as the man was swallowed by a golden void. Spiraling him down and down and down. 

“What is this!? Giratina!? Do not test me!” The man yelled, glaring around him as he landed on a golden and bright path. A swirling rainbow tunnel all around him. He stood upon a golden path

“Greetings…” A new voice rang out. Loud and powerful. The man’s first instinct was to bow to pray. Or something. Was this really the almighty Arceus? He fell silent and merely listened as the voice continued. 

“I’ve seen what you do. Who you are…” The Voice spoke again, “But I need to ask you a few more questions to be sure of who you truly are.” The golden voice fluttered back along the path.

Volo gave his nod in return and followed it, “I am here to answer. Anything and everything to the greatest extent of my truth.”

The voice didn’t respond and just continued with a question, “What do you think power is?” 

The human made a noise as he hummed. Of course, Arceus would ask a question like this. Something to test him and his morals. His decisions. Everything, “Why. One’s ability to influence and bring about change. That’s what we all really want. Change in our own unique ways.” The man replied. 

It was the light’s turn to hesitate and think, “What change do you want most then? What change is it that you desire in the world?” 

This was it. This was his chance to make his claim. To tell Arceus himself of his goals. To get that god to admit he was the correct choice and not that boy, “A New world. One of Peace between people and Pokémon. Where evil is eradicated and all that’s left is undeniable loyalty to Arceus and good.” 

There was a long pause as the path seemingly came to an abrupt end. The floating orb remained out in the void before the man. It twitched as the glowing flickered and altered with each second before, “You have not learned. You are not worthy.” 

A golden glow would envelope the man, and he would feel everything fall and fade around him. Volo didn’t know what to think of this. Was this a gift? A task? Despite the words just uttered by the god. 

He could feel himself fall to the ground, an immense pressure now beating down on him, forcing him flat onto the golden path. The man released a surprised groan of pain as he shrunk and changed. He felt something pop from his backside. He groaned again. That answered the gift question.

“You. Volo. Have not learned anything. Unlike other beings, I have done this to and for. I am doing this for you out of necessity. You will know change, even if it strikes you down over and over again and again. Then I will ask you these simple questions again.”

The glow faded from around the man. Revealing the form of a fox. His fur was a faint golden white, hair atop his head, and tails were a golden-blonde. His hair hung down into his face, one long pointed strands hanging down past his cheek on his right, another chunk curling down over his left eye and covering that half of his face. He could feel his hair remain styled up and back behind him.

“You. Volo. Are hereby banished to a world you deem ‘changed’. You will lose all you know. Go somewhere you will not know. A world that you wish for. Change is malleable by anyone and anything, not just power, strength, and blood that you bear. That you will soon know rather well.” The Light glowed brightly as it boomed in a fury, “You will learn pain, you will learn suffering, but most of all, you will learn change and humility. Goodbye.”

The man released a loud yelp of shock and surprise as another rush of pain blasted through him, the words of the god and even his own thoughts disappearing until everything was just a blank void…

---

Walking through the woods was always a necessity. They were one of the only paths from town to town, village to village. It was never easy to traverse. It was a snowless season. Their body was jarring against the dark evergreen of the forest. The traditional white and magenta did not bode well. 

Though. It’s not like it mattered anyway. They were a guild member. There was a bright, shiny badge on their scarfed chest. No criminal would mess with them. They wouldn’t even try. The guilds were everywhere. Especially in this hot zone. They wouldn’t get away without their face and species being caught.

The fighting type made a noise as they ran their claw across a tree and sniffed the air. Their purple feather wavered slightly. They sniffed, and their nose scrunched up. 

Finally, a voice spoke, “Is that?” Feminine and a rather serious toned voice to pair with it. She sniffed the air now, “Ugh. Wet animal.” She clambered up a tree, gripping it with her sharp claws as she stared around.

They didn’t see anything immediately. But that smell was ever so potent in their nostrils. The Sneasel had to shake her head out. She began to assume it was someone’s garbage they’d just dumped out here until she slid down and immediately fell over uneven soft ground.

A yelp of pain followed her landing as she tumbled to the ground, “Ow!-” Her bag tumbled off her shoulder and to the ground beside her. Sneasel shook her head and looked up with a frown. 

Before her laid an unconscious and shivering Vulpix. Faint golden yellow tails and hair, pale goldish-white fur. They didn’t seem injured but… they were indeed soaked. It had rained pretty heavily overnight. 

“Oh geez, another guy that didn’t make it to town?” She rolled her eyes and forced herself up, bag once again at her side as she stepped toward the Vulpix and gave them a kick, “Hey. Rise and shine. Rains gone.”

The Vulpix didn’t reply immediately, barely reacting to any of the force pushed against them. His fur was matted and soaked, their hair a mess, and yet somehow maintained some sort of style as it still held strong over their eye. 

Her frown of irritation quickly grew to one of concern, “Uh. Hey! Get up!” She kneeled down now and shook the Vulpix rather roughly with her claws safely outstretched and not scratching them, “I’m not joking!”

The Vulpix would release a weak cough and groan, shivering and shuddering back to life like a ghost possessing a doll. Their head fell to the side, and a heavily masculine voice spoke, “What? Is this?” They sounded confused. 

“Good. You’re not dead. You would’ve been the fourth one in the last few months,” She sighed in relief and patted the Vulpix gently as she pushed herself up. She shook her head at her own thoughts of her badge earlier and peered down at him, “Aren’t you a fancy Vulpix.”

“Vul… pix?” The fox groaned in return, shuffling around in slight pain, “I’m not a Vulpix…”

She laughed, “Oh boy. The rain do something to you? Or are you one of those ‘Keokeo’ fellows?” She remarked with a laugh.

“I am neither a Vulpix nor Keokeo! The almighty Arceus didn’t make me such!” They hissed in return, glaring back at the Sneasel, “I am! …” They suddenly lost all luster, “Human? Who… who am I?”

“You are not a human, my guy. You’re a Vulpix wanting to be a Keokeo. So until you get some sense. I’m calling you Keo.” She told him simply.

“I have a name!” He hissed back, forcing himself up to his fours, “It’s!… It’s,” His head fell to the side, “Erm… Arceus help me…” He muttered.

“Welp. Keo it is,” She snorted in return, bonking his head, with a paw, “I’m heading to town. C’mon. Let’s get you cleaned up-”

“VOLO!” He yelled suddenly, his face falling in relief, “That’s my name. I am Volo.” He bowed his head to her as if not feeling the bonk that was just there, “Former human… Iiii think.” 

“You think? ‘Volo’,” She shook her head, “Whatever. C’mon. I’m taking you to town. You smell horrid.” She raised her nose and waved a paw to push the stench away.

Volo raised his nose and sighed, “I do not smell. That is your sins. Arceus sent me here. I must look the best I can to spread his message.” He nodded to her, “Lead the way.”

She turned around and walked away from him, “I’m Silver by the way. Now come on.”

He sighed, glaring around, a frown evident on his maw, “I did not ask you, lesser for your name.” He snapped in return, “Although, I understand you must act you best before a prophet of the almighty one.” He nodded, “Lead the way.”

Several minutes of walking passed. Silent walking. No chatter, just the patter of paws and claws along the dirt road below them. A few other sounds aired around them, birds chirping, wind blowing and branches clattering.

Eventually, Silver had to raise her scarf above her nose more times than she could count due to the absolute disgusting stench of the Vulpix by her side. She’d worked at the Guild for a while. She had experienced her fair share of sweaty explorers that reeked. 

But this Vulpix must’ve been sprayed by a Skuntank or something because nothing could compare to the outworldly smell he carried as he trudged alongside her. It’d make a Grimer either swoon to him or run away in terror. Garbodor might think that they dropped a piece of themselves and take him away.

That was how bad he smelled. 

He didn’t seem concerned at all with his smell. The golden furred Vulpix and his weird bangs covering half his face and hanging down past his head just bobbed along. He walked awkwardly. Like he just couldn’t keep going in a single direction. Each step was a diagonal near tumble or to fix himself, so he didn’t fall.

The Vulpix didn’t pay Silver any mind either. He kept his head forward and chin raised. Even trying to make his speed on par or faster than hers. Only to almost immediately fall over and have to catch back up again. Silver could’ve just. Walked faster to make sure he didn’t get ahead of her, but watching him struggle was surprisingly entertaining. 

Keo or well ‘Volo’ would grumble and hiss to himself at each mistake. Something about “The Almighty Arceus expects better than this”. “The Great one of Creation didn’t send me here to lay in dirt” and other dumb notions to himself as he stood off the ground he had fallen on.

Like, dude. It’s not a big deal. 

What was a big deal was his smell, though- “Oh my, Palkia. Keo. Stay behind me, please.” Silver finally decided to say, glaring at the Vulpix who had paced by her once again, “I can’t deal with the way you smell. My nostrils literally burn.”

“I refuse to follow a Pokémon through the woods,” Volo grumbled in return, stopping and staring at her with narrowed blue-gray eyes. The Vulpix’s tone was annoyed of all things, “I am a human. You Pokémon should follow me.” He was annoyed at her for what? What did she do? 

“Why are you irritated with me?” Silver decided to ask, frowning at him, placing a paw on her hip, her claws gently tapping the backside of her leg. The Hisuian Sneasel had an irritated expression on her face. Her feather was drooping down, her eyes were half closed and bored, and she wore a frown that would rival that of a Shroomish. 

“I am not annoyed,” Volo rejected, shaking his head at her, stopping his walk, making slowly turning back to face the Sneasel. His tails were drooped and hanging low, almost brushing the ground, “I am merely treating you as you should be treated.” He raised his chin as if he was righteous in his claim. 

“Like how, then?” Silver leaned against a tree, crossing her arms. The bark was rough on her back but sturdy enough to hold her weight despite the tree’s smaller size. She maintained her look of irritation as she regarded him, “How should you and your superior, unable to walk straight, idiot of a Vulpix, who thinks he’s human should treat: me. A Mountain Sneasel, who has two years experience in a guild environment, has beaten and fought criminals, saved Pokémon including yourself and even aided in an expedition to a brand new mystery, helping map it?”

The Vulpix didn’t even seem to humor her response. He closed his eyes and even brought a paw to his chest despite the wobbling it caused his lower half, “You are nothing but a tool. An animal to be tamed. You will listen to me. A human and not. A. Vulpix and you will help me find the Almighty Sinnoh. So that he may bring me back to who I was. As the superior being I am.” Volo looked extremely smug at his own declaration, even smirking at her, a toothy, smug filled smirk. 

Silver. Like any Pokémon would upon hearing this. 

Laughed. 

She immediately released a loud and long wheeze and fell to her knees. She laughed and cackled and giggled all the whole as Volo stared at her in bewilderment. Silver could barely breathe as she finally recovered from her laughing spree. Her chest hurt, and her stomach ached. It was hard to stand and breathe for several seconds.

“What are you laughing at?” Keo demanded, taking a step towards her, his face contorted into a confused and shocked look. Eyes wide, maw slightly agape, ears perked, “Are you kneeling to agree with my statement? And are you laughing at your previous incompetence?”

Silver pushed herself up and sighed, taking a step towards the Vulpix. She raised her handkerchief up from her neck and tightened it around her face and snout. She placed a claw onto his shoulder, “Haha… No.” She grabbed ahold of his scruff, “From now on. You are Keo. Kay, Keo?” She said simply as she dragged him along now. She didn’t care for his struggles or attempts at walking. If he couldn’t match her pace consistently, he would have to be dragged like a small child. 

“Heeyyy!” The Vulpix cried out, walking after her, despite the awkward positioning of the grab on his scruff. It didn’t take long for Keo to trip and stumble and to fall, resulting in a full-on drag by Silver, “Release me! Obey! Can’t you hear me!?” He cried out to no avail. 

“I can hear you begging juuuuust fine, Keo.” Silver returned, her face full of glee. The fighting type didn’t need to even put in a lot of effort for her drag. The Vulpix was just that weak and light. He was literally nothing compared to when they had to restock the guild. A warm-up routine. One she was enjoying as the arrogant Vulpix was forced to be dragged along like a small child.

“I am not Keo!” The Vulpix cried, trying to struggle against the hold of the Sneasel. Keo attempted to roll and twist his body around so that her wrist would twist, forcing her to let go of him eventually. He tried stomping at the ground to halt her momentum and to make her life even harder.

Silver released a few grunts, lifting him up and straightening her wrist out, preventing him from flailing around for a few moments as she settled back into dragging him, “Oh. By the way, you trying to drag your paws is doing you nothing,” Her muffled voice hummed to him. She was grinning wide under her handkerchief, “Just relax, Keo. The ride will only be as bumpy as the ground, and however worse, you make it for yourself.”

Volo rolled his eyes and tugged against her grip one more time before sighing and giving up, crossing his paws over his chest and looking away in silence, “… My fur is getting all dirt.” He mumbled under his breath, “Arceus’s messenger should look presentable.” 

Silver didn’t respond but only hummed and quickened her pace. The fighting and poison type dodged around stray logs in the path, hoisting the Vulpix over any holes in the road and avoided any tall paths around them. With her dragging the Vulpix along. They were, believe it or not, going faster than they were. Volo just seemed to slow her down.

Not Volo. Keo.

“Why call me Keo?” The Vulpix decided to ask, making some sort of small conversation. He didn’t bother looking up at her at all. Just kept staring at the ground and world around them, “I gave you my name. You should at least be smart enough to use it.”

“Oh. But you said we were lesser beings.” Silver mocked, looking back at him, grinning smugly under her handkerchief. She waved a paw in his face as she stopped for a moment. Silver quickly was back underway but now walking even quicker than before, “And I. Just a lowly Sneasel could never understand what the GASP. Prophet of Arceus has to say! So I dub you a name us lesser beings can use and understand. While not using your holy name. Oh, angel of Arceus.” Her voice was riddled with sneering and sarcasm. Her mannerisms, waving her arms and exaggerated tone at some portions, just showed how little she took the Vulpix seriously, “But also. Volo is lame. Keo is superior.”

The Sneasel had stopped walking. Her last few steps were thumps onto something that wasn’t dirt. Something harder than dirt. Wood, maybe. It didn’t have the ‘clack clack’ that stepping on stone did with claws bared. Wood had more of a gentle and hollow ‘thump thump’. While stone had more of a ‘click clack’. Stone was sharper sounding, and wood was more hollow.  

There were the sounds of scuttling feet in the distance, however. Quiet and many. All working and going in several distinct directions. Some louder and with more force, and others assumed to be even unhearable. With the rising tempo of voices and shouts and just general undistinguished chatter as well. Nothing was clear or coherent minus a few shouts. But there were definitely other Pokémon nearby. These voices varied much like the feet that carried them across the apparent roads. High, low, angry, and joyful. Volo could make out quite a few of them as he fell silent for a brief moment, his ears perked.

It took him several moments to respond to the Sneasel, but when he did- 

“You’ll never understand!” Volo snapped in return, finally glaring up at her, baring his teeth, “You won’t ever understand. You’re just a stupid, low-life Pokémon who hasn’t been trained to obey and to know their place! Why if I was human. I’d make sure I’d-”

“Oop! Here’s the moat outside of town~” She lifted the Vulpix up for a moment and brought him up to her face. Silver’s handkerchief had been lowered, and Volo could see her wide and smug grin with every tooth and every blemish. He could even see several scars across her face. Two differently colored eyes, too. A red and a yellow, both full of amusement, “It’d be a shame if I…”

“Release me! Now! I demand it!” Volo hissed, now flailing in the Sneasel’s grip, baring his teeth some more, “I choose to let you speak! Now let. Me. Down!” The Vulpix was clearly angry, angled eyebrows and scowling eyes. The whole look.

But Silver didn’t seem threatened at all. She only lifted him a tad higher and stepped back onto the wooden plank bridge and hung him over the edge, “Lookie here. Some nice muddy and murky water,” She peered down off the bridge, “It’d be a shame if you feeell.” She teased, her grip loosening slightly.

Volo immediately paled slightly, but his glare remained, “Don’t.” He warned with narrowed eyes. The Vulpix’s tails wavered behind him as he glared at her. 

“Can’t spell don’t without do,” She kept lowering him down, falling to her knees as she swung him over the water, “Hear it’s pretty deep… I wonder if you’ll smell better if I drop you. That stench makes have to itch my nose-” She let Volo’s tails brush the muddy water, “It’d be extremely hard to swimmm~”

“Don’t drop me!” He finally yelped as she kept lowering, so now his paws were submerged in the water. His tone was a mix of anger and concern, “Fine! I’ll listen!”

Silver smirked and raised him up a bit more, now standing, still holding the Vulpix over the ledge, “And what are you?”

“… A Vulpix.”

“And your name~?” 

“… Are you serious?”

Silver only widened her eyes and tilted her head to signify that she was still waiting for him to respond.

“… Keo.” 

“There we go!” She cheered, setting him beside her, raising her hands to her cheek, clasping them together, and doing an “ayayay’ pose. She then gave him a pitiful pat on the head, “Well. That was mostly just a warning for you. Pokémon won’t take kindly to that attitude of yours in here,” She replied, glancing ahead at the town gates.

Volo frowned and looked away, “So what am I supposed to do? Nothing? I’m supposed to be looking for a way home-”

“Firstly. Don’t be an overbearing prick. You won’t get anywhere that way,” Silver rolled her eyes, “Secondly. I’m taking you to the baths. You reek dude.” 

Volo rolled his eyes, “I do need to look best for Arceus.” He replied, raising his chin, “This compromise is… acceptable.”

“It better be. Or you’ll be less than conscious when you go into that moat.”

A frown. “Noted…”

“Now come along, Keo. I’ve got things to do.” Silver said, turning away from the ledge and heading into town.

Volo or well. Keo. Sighed and slowly trotted after her.