Chapter 3: Tonight

The more time passed, the stranger that day became, to say the least. The desperation for the earthquake that had destroyed his entire world, the adrenaline at the thought of going to appease Groudon, the animated discussion with Zangoose too. Sparx could say he had scrolled through the entire spectrum of emotions within half an hour.

Right in the middle of his “argument” with the Cat Ferret, Chatot had taken him aside and escorted him towards Wigglytuff. Thus, the three found themselves far from everyone’s ears, where no one could hear whatever they had to say to each other.

The Shinx met Wigglytuff’s huge eyes. As usual, the adoptive father was completely inscrutable, unlike Chatot who, however, had a very clear look of anger mixed with sincere apprehension.

The latter sighed, managing to calm himself down. The anger dissipated, and even when he spoke, his voice simply sounded worried.

«Sparx, I admire your courage, I really do, but…» he told him, digging a small furrow in the ground with his claws as he did. «this is way beyond you…»

The young leader bowed his head. «I know…» he then murmured. «But… I have to do it, Chatot.» he continued, raising his head again.

The Music Note Pokémon placed its healthy wing on its forehead, remaining there for a few seconds before replying.

«… Why?» he asked him.

«Because I knew something would happen!» he replied immediately. His voice then trembled. «Since last night… I’ve… I’ve felt like something wasn’t right. U-until… just before the shock… while Xatu was talking to me… I… I was… s-so scared…» he said, breathing more and more heavily as he remembered those moments. «I-I thought t-that… I-I-I would… f-f-faint there… and… and… and t-then… the earthquake…»

He was on the verge of crying again. The fear she had gripped him like that was too great to describe, but he fought back the tears.

Wigglytuff, who up until that point hadn’t yet said or done anything except observe, lowered himself as far as he could and placed a hand on the Shinx’s head, caressing him with a gentleness that he had never dedicated to anyone else but him.

«Shh shh, Sparx.» he soothed him. «We are here with you, son. Do not fear; you can tell us everything.»

At his adoptive father’s gentle touch, Sparx began to relax immediately. He instinctively leaned towards the Guildmaster’s round, pink body and rested his head on it.

Even though he knew that Wigglytuff wasn’t his real father, after almost fourteen years together such detail had lost its importance. He was his family, and there was no other Pokémon he felt more protected and safe with than with him.

He closed his eyes, feeling his mind calm down thanks to his adoptive father’s gentle caresses. His breathing slowly returned to normal. His body stopped shaking. He finally felt ready to confess everything.

He therefore told us about everything he had been through since last night, all the sensations that we now know well, and about his “premonition”. At the end of the brief summary, his gaze was fixed on Chatot.

«Chatot… you who know a lot of things…» he said. «What do you think is happening to me?» he then asked him.

The Music Note Pokémon, although a little skeptical, had been thinking about a possible answer long before Sparx even asked him that question. However he couldn’t manage to find it. He shook his head.

«I believe you, Sparx, don’t get me wrong. But I don’t really know how to help you… I’ve never heard of anything like that.» he replied, while continuing to reason as he did so. «We know about Amber’s Dimensional Scream… Tsk tsk. No, nevermind. This phenomenon seems to be too different from that.»

«I see…» the Shinx murmured, obviously dissatisfied with the answer. «But I’m sure it has to do with Groudon! I… I know it’s like this! I-»

«Even if it were» Chatot interrupted him. «Going to Groudon is still out of the question for you.»

«But… Chatot! You don’t-»

«Okay. Let’s say you go there.» he stopped him again. «Then? What would you do? Would you try to strike up a friendly chat with him?»

The young leader, still leaning on Wigglytuff for the protection he was providing, fell silent for a few seconds. He was well aware that he was moved only by instinct, without having any precise plan to deal with Groudon.

But… he had to go. He had to understand.

How could he explain to Chatot and Wigglytuff something he couldn’t even explain to himself? It was as if someone, or something… was calling for him down there.

«I… I’ll think of something…» he replied, unconvinced.

«What about your companions?» Chatot immediately asked. «Yeaf and Ardin? Did you ask them what they think regarding this?»

«I don’t…»

Sparx glanced their way. They were there along with his other friends talking, their faces still locked in a confused and scared expression. He certainly couldn’t ask them to follow him in that stunt which he knew was close to the brink of madness.

«I don’t know… they didn’t know about my intentions…» he said, sighing. «but… I don’t want to involve them.»

The Music Note Pokémon took a deep breath.

«Fine. Let’s recap.» he began. «You intend to go to the World Abyss and to Groudon, an angry Legendary Pokémon, alone, without a plan and driven only by the feeling that you may have something to do with him. Is this correct, Sparx?»

After endless moments, the Shinx, unable to reply any further, nodded slowly. Despite that series of argumentations, he couldn’t afford to leave it all behind. A small rush of courage warmed his chest and he raised his head once again to face his superior.

«But someone has to do it! And if no one else will go then I-»

«HUSH!»

Finally, Chatot exploded. He harshly silenced the young leader, in a fit of anger due to worry and enhanced by the strong affection he felt towards him.

«I’m surprised at you, Sparx!» he exclaimed furiously. «Of all people, you were the LAST one from whom I would have expected such a barrage of nonsense! I can hardly recognize you, lad!»

«Ugh…» Sparx moaned.

Reasonably, he hated it when someone yelled at him. Especially if that someone was Chatot, who he loved so much. The latter was only very worried about him, but the message didn’t reach Sparx as it was meant to be. He felt a lump rise up his throat, but he didn’t reply, instead letting the Music Note speak.

«SQUAWK! Although yours is a case to be analysed, we cannot afford to expose you to a similar danger!» he continued, waving his sane wing, despite said gesture was causing immense pain to the broken one. «It’s unthinkable! Absolutely unthinkable that we would let you go to Groudon! Right, Guildmaster?»

Sparx sighed, letting himself sink further into Wigglytuff’s short fur. They couldn’t understand how he felt. How could they? After all, that storm raging in the depths of his mind wasn’t clear even to him.

«Uhm.» mumbled the Guildmaster. «Actually, Chatot… I never said no.» he replied, with the calmest tone in the world.

The sentence immediately awakened every sense in both the young leader and the Music Note Pokémon, both of whom widened their eyes in complete disbelief. Chatot was so overwhelmed by emotions that he even found the courage to respond badly to Wigglytuff, even though he was more panicked than angry.

«SQUAWK! GUILDMASTER, NO! WHAT THE FU- … A-ehm, THE HECK ARE YOU SAYING?!» he yelled, also attracting the attention of other Pokémon, who however didn’t come closer. «Won’t it… Won’t it be because… of-» he began to say, and then stopped. «Anyway, NO! He’s too young! He is so young that he hasn’t unlocked his Attunement yet! He wouldn’t even reach World Abyss’s bottom without getting killed by the Pokémon in there!»

The Attunement. This weird phenomenon known by every Pokémon since the most ancient of times, but what is it exactly?

In short, it’s a phenomenon as mysterious as the very nature of Pokémon themselves, which allows them, once they have reached a certain level of experience and age, to obtain a second (or third) Type to add to their own, becoming Attuned to it. Nobody can skip this phase: sooner or later, it’s something bound to happen.

Attuned Type is decided by several factors: passions, desires, personality, even fears and anxieties of the Pokémon. Put very simply, someone with a strong passion for cooking from an early age would probably be destined to become Fire-Attuned, however things are usually a lot more complicated than this.

In battle, Pokémon are able to use most of their Attuned Type’s moves, making them often unpredictable. Furthermore, this additional Type also partly affects their resistances and weaknesses.

The only exception occurs if a Pokémon is Attuned to their own Type: then their Type’s moves become noticeably stronger, as long as their natural resistances, but, on the other hand, their natural weaknesses are also more pronounced. As a side note, it’s said that Legendary Pokémon are always Attuned to their own primary Type.

For these reasons, unlocking the Attunement is a significant advantage for a Pokémon, however for Sparx, barely a kid, it was still too early for this ability to be shaped around his unstable and growing spirit.

In any case, Attunement or not, the Shinx had already proven to be a more than valid fighter and explorer. His only limitations were his young age and relatively little experience, and yet… Wigglytuff seemed to support him, even at that crucial moment.

«Fa-father…» he almost whispered, staring at him bewildered. «Would you… let me go to Groudon?»

To his surprise, the Guildmaster smiled. «Of course! I’m the one who raised you after all; I know what you can do.» he replied.

Chatot was no longer able to breathe normally, while his heart was beating at a rate well above alert levels.

«G-Guildmaster… please… you can’t…» he spoke, so low that he wasn’t even heard.

Because of this, Sparx continued to talk with Wigglytuff, his big yellow eyes beaming. He was still terrified of facing Groudon, whatever the outcome, but it was what he felt compelled to do, both for himself and for the Grass Continent.

«Really?!» he exclaimed, but then lowered his ears. «Although… alone it could be… » he looked at him with a pleading expression. «You are so strong, father… Why don’t you… come with me? Please…»

Unfortunately, the Guildmaster shook his head.

«No, Sparx. I can’t.» he told him. «I am more injured than I look; if we were to fight I would just be a burden. And even if I were in full shape, well, I wouldn’t be a match for Groudon either.»

«N-no…?» he murmured, starting to worry a little more.

«But you…» continued Wigglytuff, poking his chest. «… you would.»

«I… would…?» he repeated, as confused as heartened.

«Besides, you’ll see that you won’t be alone. Yeaf and Ardin will not abandon you. I’m sure that, if you leave, they’ll follow you wherever you go.»

Fed up with the uncomfortable situation that was being created, Chatot calmed down a little and intervened in the middle of the conversation, approaching the two.

«Guildmaster! You’re… You’re not really allowing it, right? This is not what you’re actually meaning, right?!

«Chatot…» he simply replied, glancing at him with a look that only the Music Note could comprehend.

The latter understood that there would be nothing more that could be done. He bowed his head and sighed loudly, falling silent for some time during which he took a few moments to reflect. Until, finally, he spoke up again.

«… so be it.» he said, making Sparx jump slightly. «But just know that it’s because I trust you, Guildmaster. There is no other reason.» he concluded, with a certain coldness.

Sparx smiled slightly, finally pulling away from Wigglytuff and heading towards the Music Note instead.

«Thank you, Chatot…» he whispered softly.

Then, delicately to avoid hurting him, he wrapped his right paw around his body in a tender embrace.

«I’ll be careful. And I’ll run away immediately if things get bad.»

Somewhat heartened by the promise and relaxed by the embrace, Chatot wrapped his healthy wing around the Shinx. He still wasn’t at all convinced, but… he had to have faith. He sighed, a sigh full of fear mixed with hope.

«Find the answers you’re looking for and… come back. Please…» he whispered to him.

The young leader tightened his hug a little more, and then let loose. Behind him, his tail wagged slowly. He smiled innocently, despite the strong tension inside him.

«I will, Chatot. It’s a promise.»

«I’m counting on it.»

Wigglytuff approached the two. His expression was far too cheerful for the context, but one couldn’t expect much else from him.

«Then it’s decided!» he exclaimed, raising his arms. «Sparx, we entrust you, and anyone else who wants to accompany you, with the task of finding out what is going on with these earthquakes and Groudon. I’m sure you’ll be able to handle this.»

«If I may» Chatot intervened. «unfortunately, I doubt that anyone else among the explorers will volunteer to go with him, except at most Yeaf and Ardin. Therefore, given the difficult climate within the city, it’s better that this conversation stays a secret and that they wait for the night before leaving.»

Sparx nodded, understanding where the Music Note was going with that proposal; the reaction Zangoose had had just before already spoke for itself. If it had been known that the Guild had allowed their own kid to do something like that, the consequences would certainly not have been the best ones.

He kept thinking about his two closest friends and teammates: would they really accompany him? He had doubts that they would launch themselves so headlong into such a dangerous mission just because he had had strange premonitions.

He would deal with it later, once he actually told them about his intentions. In his heart he didn’t want to put them in danger, but at the same time, albeit a little selfishly, he hoped they wouldn’t leave him alone..

«Certainly, Chatot.» he replied to the Music Note. «I’ll wait for the night, then.»

«Good.» he said. «We can justify your absence in other ways, but it’s better if we don’t spread the word about what you’re really going to do. We need everyone’s collaboration to bring Treasure Town back to life from its ashes, and undermining the reputation of the Guild could be a problem at the moment.»

The Shinx nodded once again. His determination skyrocketed. He was ready to do anything to discover the truth about that whole ordeal which had suddenly turned his life upside down.

«Thanks… both of you…» he murmured. «I’m going to talk to my teammates. They’ll be worried by now.»

Wigglytuff patted him lightly on the back. «Of course. We’ll have a proper goodbye later. Now go, son.»

So, after a last brief exchange, Sparx left his adoptive parents behind and returned with the apprentices. Wigglytuff also started to leave from there, but his friend and right-hand Pokémon stopped him.

«Guildmaster…» he called him.

«Yes, Chatot?»

The Music Note took a moment to search for the right words to express himself with.

«I know what you think of Sparx, however… are you sure that…» he began to say. «is this actually a good idea…?»

Some time passed, but no response came from the Guildmaster. His enormous eyes were fixed and motionless towards the void, so much so that Chatot thought he had fallen asleep as he used to do.

«Uhm… Guildmaster?» he tried to call once again.

«Chatot.» he suddenly said, quickly turning and almost startling him. «You remember Norvin and Diane, right?»

It was the parrot’s turn to fall silent, his mind lost to fourteen years in the past, before sighing gravely and answering.

«Of course I do. How could I ever forget them…» he whispered. «But even though all this time has passed, Sparx has never shown any particular… signs.»

«It’s true. But it is also true that now he’s our only hope. I believe in Norvin and Diane. No one would have made such a deed without a valid reason.»

The parrot looked up at the sky. The desperation on the faces of those two Luxray was still engraved into his memory. That terrible image he had just exhumed struck him deeply, to the point of making him shiver for a moment. He forced himself to recompose just so he could continue the conversation.

«So… are you really convinced that Sparx is… what you think he is?» he asked, a little hesitant and lowering his voice.

At that question Wigglytuff looked back into space. His last sentence then made his trusted companion’s blood run cold, mainly because of the further memories it brought back.

«What happened to his parents… cannot be explained otherwise.»

{ ~~~ }

Oblivious of the conversation between his superiors and adoptive family, Sparx returned to the apprentices and his friends.

For a while, the gazes that fell on him were very similar to those reserved for strangers, so much so that the Shinx had to stop in his tracks due to the slight discomfort he felt.

«Uhm… hi.» he said sheepishly, feeling observed.

«Hey hey, Sparx!» Corphish called him. «What in the world happened to you earlier with Zangoose? You looked like another Pokémon!»

Croagunk cackled his usual sinister, creepy laugh. «Meh-eh-eh. You really put on a show in there, Sparx. That’s been truly entertaining though, I must say…»

The young leader nodded slowly, then gave an embarrassed smile. He had to come up with something to avoid revealing more than he had to, but before he could speak Yeaf and Ardin ran towards him.

«Sparx!» exclaimed the Eevee. «Is everything alright? What did Chatot and the Guildmaster tell you?»

«But above all» added Ardin. «what did that… speech just now mean?»

The brief moment of relaxation he had at the sight of his two closest friends ended immediately, as the time had come to reveal to them what he would be doing soon. He had no idea about how they would react.

He looked at them, then at the other apprentices in the Guild, then back at his teammates. He didn’t want to involve more Pokémon than he had to, but at the same time he was terrible at telling lies. He then opted for the safer route.

«Yeaf, Ardin… can we talk just the three of us?» he asked, almost whispering.

The Mudkip studied him for a few moments with a note of suspicion and concern. He shook his head slightly and turned to the other Guild members.

«Leave us alone for a few minutes, please.» he said, rising mixed reactions among the apprentices.

But no one actually tried to stop them. Team Spark was honest and reliable, so they thought that the three definitely had their reasons for behaving like that, and they respected them. They let them go without much ceremony.

Sparx murmured a “thank you”, and the trio stepped away from everything and everyone so they could discuss. Once they were alone, an awkward silence was created, since none of them knew exactly how to start that hard conversation.

Ardin took care of breaking the ice once and for all, while staring intensely at the Shinx.

«I think you owe us some explanation, Sparx.» he said, with a somewhat inquisitive tone. «Or as a minimum, you could have warned us of your intentions before you started sniping Zangoose like that.»

«It wasn’t my intention, sorry…» he replied, desolated. «It’s just that, well, you know how much this story concerns me; premonitions and everything else, right? I just want to understand…» he explained. «Plus, someone has to go there to check on Groudon, even if only to understand why all of… this… had to happen…» he continued, looking at the destroyed city around him. «Finally, well… I didn’t want to involve you in this madness of mine… I don’t want to put you in a negative light or, worse, in danger…» he concluded, his eyes wetting.

The Mudkip’s expression softened a little. He took a few steps towards his friend.

«Sparx… we are your companions. There’s nothing you can’t tell us, you know. » he told him with a reassuring voice. «What concerns you, me or Yeaf, actually concerns us.»

«Exactly!» Yeaf intervened, approaching in turn with a sweet smile. «We are worried about you, Sparx. You are our leader, but first of all… you are our friend. We would never leave you behind.»

The young Shinx’s face was filled with gratitude and emotion, so much so that he had to wipe away a tear with his paw. He felt a pleasant sensation of warmth in his chest that warmed his heart.

«Guys…» he murmured affectionately.

The Mud Fish smiled at him. «Anyway, what did you want to talk to us about in private? Is this about what you discussed with Chatot and Wigglytuff?»

«Oh, right.» he composed himself. «Long story short, Chatot was furious with me. I guess you can understand why, but Wigglytuff… said I’m able to do it..»

«What?!» Yeaf widened her eyes in disbelief. «With all due respect, Sparx, but… is it not a bit too much?»

«Believe me, I kinda think so too.» the Shinx replied, not helping at all in easing her worries. «In the end, they both… actually allowed me to go. Obviously being very careful and stuff. You see, I really don’t want to fight Groudon; just… investigate. About both him and what I feel inside of me.»

The Eevee with the emerald irises knew that tone well. It was the tone of a Sparx who had an idea in his head and who would not abandon it until the end. She closed her eyes and let out a huff.

«So… that’s it? Are you really going to go there… alone? And in your condition?» she asked him, alluding to his injuries.

«I’ll heal in the meantime, but I must make this journey.» was the straight reply.

She shuddered. A strong tension began to build inside her, gripping her nerves in an icy grasp. She slammed a paw on the ground, glaring at the Shinx.

«Don’t you dare.» she told him, with a coldness that became almost tangible in the air.

The Shinx sighed. «Try to understand me, Y-»

«I’m coming with you.» she interrupted him, her voice firm and decisive. «Yes, Sparx! Like hell I’ll let you go alone! I’ll come with you and there would be nothing you can do to stop me!»

The young leader opened his mouth, his expression looking like the one of a Magikarp, expecting anything but such a bold reaction from his friend.

«N… no, Yeaf… don’t…» he tried to protest, but his voice died in his throat, overwhelmed by the mix of feelings he was experiencing.

In all this, Ardin gave him a light nudge with his shoulder. Yeaf’s own flame was also burning in his little black eyes.

«And don’t forget about me.» he said, nodding. «You are the only Pokémon I would trust with my very life. If you are so convinced, and the Guildmaster is too… then I would follow you to the edge of the world, Sparx.»

«You two… I can’t…»

Sparx couldn’t even speak. He was terrified that his closest friends would be in danger because of him, but then Ardin held out a paw in front of him.

«Hey, remember? We are your companions.» he reminded him, looking at him sincerely.

Yeaf’s soft paw joined the Mudkip’s in a gesture of complicity. She wasn’t about to let it go either, not in a situation like this.

«We are Team Spark. All three of us. Right, Sparx?» she asked him rhetorically.

After a few seconds in which the Shinx had to keep himself from bursting with joy, which at that point had more than overshadowed his fears, he too placed his paw on those of his two friends.

«We are Team Spark.» he repeated, with much more conviction.

The three remained in that position for a while, enough to find the strength to really embark on that adventure for many on the edge of craziness. Yet, together, they felt invincible, a small group of kids ready to take over the world or, in that case, save it.

In the end, Ardin asked the fateful question, the one from which everything could finally begin.

«So, when are we leaving, Sparx?»

The Shinx smiled, adjusting the dark green scarf around his neck. He smiled with anticipation, glanced at the two friends, and finally gave his firm answer.

«Tonight.»