Chapter 25 – The Sunshot
by BoneheadChapter 25 – The Sunshot (Chase)
“Hey Chase, wait up!”
Someone called after him, but the words went through one of the Bulbasaur’s ears and out the other. Of all the places they could go, they were going to his hometown!
The path to Amber Heights zig-zagged like a bolt of lightning through the hills, with soaring, red-barked trees on either side. Chase blitzed up the path like a streak of flames from a Charizard’s mouth, blurring past the warm-colored autumn giants. Even as the path grew steeper, it did nothing to slow him down.
A minute later the winding path straightened out, the ground smoothened into a plateau. Trees became more sparse, and in their place were familiar dwellings. Square terraces held up houses made from stone bricks and thatched roofs, all connected by chiseled steps and dirt paths. A distance to the right, a light-brown mountain reached toward the sky. But Chase’s attention was drawn elsewhere– friendly faces noticed him.
“Yo, Chase!” A Breloom called from his front-yard garden. “Didn’t know you were visiting!”
“Hey Roy!” Chase replied. He recalled how his Breloom neighbor coached him as a kid, helping the young Bulbasaur hone his grass-type moves. “Catch up later, still running!”
“Chase!” A Ponyta called from up the road, galloping in the opposite direction. “Good to see you!”
“Hi Wendy!” Chase called back. As they passed he could already smell the berries and spices from the pies she’d bake. Pies like Oran and strawberry, or peach and Aspear. “Catch up when I can! Good to be back!”
A few more neighbors called and waved while Chase barreled through, but before long he took a sharp-right turn. Just a few yards away was a set of stairs embedded in a hillside. To the left was a cluster of lofty sunflowers, their brilliant yellow pedals shining in the morning light. To the right was a sprawling bed of blue herbs, lying low and wet with dew. And between them, at the top of stairs, was a redwood door at the front of a familiar home: his home.
The door beckoned, and Chase charged forth. He bound up the stone steps, ready to push the door open and see his parents–
“Oof!”
He promptly bounced against the wood, flipping over his own bulb and rolling down the stairs. Chase landed on his side at the bottom.
“Woah, wipeout!” his Pumpkaboo neighbor announced, peeking over the low, stone wall. “You okay?”
Chase pushed himself up, shaking off the mild crash. “Yeah, I’m fine,” he answered. That was really weird, though. His parents usually left their door unlocked, except for when they all left the house together. They should both be home, unless…
“Oh, right!”
He remembered, it was that time of year. The last day of September. Every Autumn they’d head south, meeting up with extended family to spend winter someplace warmer. Before he could reminisce about his aunts and uncles, he heard footsteps running up behind him. Chase turned and spotted Leon, William, Andrew, and Enzo, finally catching up.
“Hey guys!” Chase beamed.
“Chase,” Leon began, though paused as he and the others took a breath. “…Please don’t run off again, alright?”
The Bulbasaur lowered his head a bit. “Oh yeah, sorry about that. Just got excited, you know?”
“Naturally,” William said. “Still, we shouldn’t run the risk of getting separated and ambushed.”
“Ambushed? In Amber?” Chase chuckled. “Not a chance. This is my turf!”
“So, this is your abode?” Andrew asked, waving his arm toward the gardens.
“Yep,” Chase nodded. “But the door’s locked. Gonna look for my key…” He slipped a vine into his side-pouches, snaking through their flaps to find seeds and berries, his canteen, a wash cloth… Until finally, he felt a smooth metal key.
“Here it– wait, no, that’s the dorm room key for the guild.” He made a puzzled face, realizing that he may not have it in the first place. “I think that’s where my house key is. Back at the guild.”
“…You forgot your own key,” Enzo stated flatly.
“I mean, I didn’t know we’d be coming here,” Chase shrugged. “By the way, where’s Corvo?”
“Hey gang!” A voice rang from behind Chase, and everyone glanced up towards the source. The Snivy sat atop the pale strands of straw that made up the roof, lazily waving at them. Did he just sneak up there? He must have used his vines– Chase made a mental note to practice that himself.
“Ya know,” Corvo continued, “there’s plenty o’ ways to get in a house without a key…”
“Corvo,” Leon began, shaking his head. “We’re not gonna break into any houses, alright?”
“Oh, I know,” Chase piped up. “He can go in through the chimney! Deliver presents like Delibird!” He laughed heartily, and won a chuckle from Andrew.
Corvo’s expression turned from relaxed to worried. “Uh, slide through a cramped chute where smoke and fire comes out? Yeah, no thanks…”
Enzo rolled his eyes.
“Regardless,” William spoke up. “Perhaps we should focus on resupplying for our journey.”
Leon nodded in agreement. “Yeah, that trip through the desert wiped out most of our rations.”
“Oh yeah, we can do that.” Chase said. “Plenty of places to get food around here. Like the apple orchard, and we can stop by the store for extra berries. Oh! And I’ve gotta show you guys–”
William held up a hand. “Easy now, we should handle one thing at a time. Though I would like to ask–” he pointed over his shoulder. “About that mountain behind us?”
Their eyes swept up a towering sienna peak to the west, gilded by morning sun. Near the base, where the mountain met the town, terraced farmland checkered the landscape. As the farmlands rose, so did a narrow stone-channel– looking somewhat like a bridge– weaving around the mountain in a spiral, and held aloft by stone arches. Even after the terrace farms ended, the stone-channel snaked up the mountain, reaching towards its glacial summit. And the summit itself was crowned by a halo of clouds.
“That’s the Sunspire,” Chase remarked with awe. “It’s the whole reason this town is here! There’s a big story to it.” Though as he noticed Leon’s building impatience, he decided to give the shortest explanation. “But the important thing is that it’s got an aqueduct that irrigates our terrace farms. So, let’s see what the harvest has!”
“Last time I was here,” Andrew said, “there was a little store called ‘The Fruit Bowl.’ Is it still here?”
“It sure is!” Chase affirmed. “Let’s go pay them a visit!”
Chase bounded down the path through town again, albeit more slowly so his friends could keep up. As they moved through familiar routes, Chase’s mind welled-up with all sorts of memories.
Like the time he played hide and seek with some friends, and wound up falling asleep on a neighbor’s roof because they couldn’t find him. Or when he successfully grew his first batch of sweet peas. But his favorite memory was the time his old friends took him to the other side of the Sunspire to show him his first “Fire Festival.”
He hadn’t thought of home until now, but Chase felt a sense of bottled-up homesickness sprouting within him. A sense of wistful longing, emerging like the dormant flower in his bulb, now blooming in the sunny rays of nostalgia.
It took only a few minutes for them to reach The Fruit Bowl: a small, well-kept store where the scent of fruit and spices hinted at the goods within. Berries, baked pastries, some gardening tools, and a few specialized items for fire-types. As they entered, a Braixen clerk popped-up from behind the counter.
“Oh hey there,” she greeted. “Aren’t you Ginny’s kid? Thought you guys left for the season.”
“Yeah, that’s me!” Chase said. “They left, but my friends and I are on a trip. We need to pick up some stuff.”
Near the door was a small stack of woven baskets, and Chase grabbed one with his vines, holding it atop his head. “Get whatever you guys like! I’ll pay.”
The six of them paraded around the store, gradually filling the basket on the Bulbasaur’s head. William took his time, closely examining items he pulled off the shelf. Andrew stuck close to him and made some comments on the items.
Corvo slinked away from the main group, tilting his head up towards the higher shelves. Though he was never out of sight as Leon kept tailing him, giving him funny looks. Chase couldn’t help but wonder if something was going on between those two.
The only one who didn’t wander off was Enzo, who showed little interest in anything and let the others handle shopping as he stood near Chase. Of course, Chase didn’t mind having a cozy fire loaf near him.
“Sure you don’t need anything?” Chase asked. “You can get whatever you like.”
“I’m fine,” Enzo answered. His expression softened. “But… thanks.”
Soon the team’s basket was filled with food for the road, a new compass for William, and an extra blanket for Leon. Chase hobbled over towards the checkout counter, using his vines to steady the swaying basket.
“Are you sure you got that?” Andrew asked, concerned.
“Yep!” Chase answered, steadying himself after wobbling on his left side.
“We did get a good bit,” Corvo commented. “I can help foot the bill, if ya need it.”
Once again, Leon gave the Snivy a not-so-warm look. “I think we should stick with using real money.”
Corvo mirrored the Totodile’s gaze. “We are,” he said dryly. “Dunno what you’re tryin’ to imply, sawjaw.”
Before anyone else could speak, Chase walked between them. “It’s okay guys, really. Don’t worry about paying back, either. It’s my treat.”
With William’s help, they placed the basket onto the counter. Braixen weighed their fruit and tallied up their prices.
“So then, shall we stay and rest here in Amber?” William asked.
“Don’t see how we can,” Leon answered. “Chase can’t let us into his house.”
“How ‘bout an inn?” Andrew suggested. “It’s still a long way to Caldera.”
“Amber doesn’t have an inn,” Chase said, placing his coins on the counter. “Would be nice if we did…”
Chase mentally kicked himself for leaving his key at home. The idea of leaving so soon stung like a cold raindrop. Even as he reached for his coin pouch to stow his change, he wished he would miraculously find his house key tucked away.
The drop in Chase’s usual tone didn’t go unnoticed.
“Are you feeling alright?” William asked as he accepted their bought items. He also helped Chase stow his leftover coins.
“Yeah, I’m okay,” Chase said. “I just kinda wish we could stay a bit longer, you know?”
Before anyone could comment, a new voice spoke up.
“Chase?”
It came from an aisle a short ways behind the group.
Chase turned around and spotted a pair of electric blue eyes, belonging to a shadowy face concealed by white, fuzzy mane. Five warm-colored horns sprouted from that mane, vaguely resembling a star.
Once again a sense of nostalgia warmed Chase to the tip of his bulb. “Felix!”
“I hadn’t expected you to return to Amber Heights so promptly.” Felix, the Larvesta, spoke as he led Chase and his friends into his abode.
“Me neither!” Chase remarked. “It’d be nice if it was for fun instead of, you know. But still, it’s good to be back.”
“Mmm-hmm. I hope you and your team can pull off this rescue without much trouble. How has the guild been?”
“It’s been great!” Chase replied. Though he hadn’t mentioned sneaking out of the guild– no point in bringing down the mood. “I just miss seeing you and everyone else around here.”
“It seems like you’ve made plenty of new friends, however.”
Chase glanced back at said friends.
“Are we almost there?” Leon asked.
“We are,” Felix answered. He took a left turn at the main road. “My house. It’ll be just us, my parents are away on a trip.”
Felix’s house looked similar to Chase’s, albeit with some minor differences. His front yard had vibrant morning-glories: blooming white and purple flowers. Another terrace contained bushes of Charti berries.
The front door was lighter and thinner, with its handle close to the ground, and a giant leaf above provided shade. The windows were larger so Felix’s parents, Volcaronas, could flutter in and out of the house. Felix pushed the door open for them, revealing the house’s den.
It was just as Chase had remembered it. Instead of wooden chairs or plush couches, there were hammocks and net chairs, all made from silken threads that looked like glossy cotton. He immediately bound past Felix and over to his favorite net chair, the one with the star-shaped pattern in its center, and bounced on its silky web.
“Come on in, guys!” he beckoned.
While Felix scuttled in, the rest stood at the door making all kinds of faces.
Enzo merely blinked, not showing much emotion like usual.
Leon and Corvo looked weirded out– but at least that gave them something in common?
Meanwhile, William was the first to cross the threshold, and Andrew promptly followed him. The Cubone eyed the furniture cautiously, poking the white threads of a net chair with his club.
“They won’t break, I promise!” Chase said. “They’re way stronger than they look!”
“It’s okay,” Felix said as he climbed into a web hammock. “Most visitors are unsure. You don’t have to sit if you don’t want to.”
Yet William turned and lowered himself into the net chair. After a few inches he let his weight fall in, sinking into the silk. The chair held him without even a squeak.
“You’re right,” he said. “Quite comfortable, this.”
Andrew took another chair next to William, mimicking the same moves from caution to relaxation.
While the other three still walked inside, they decided not to sit down on the silk-thread couch.
“When I was a kid,” Chase explained, “I’d have sleepovers here all the time! Hey, while we’re here,” he turned to Felix, “maybe we can have some of that spicy bean chili you guys like to make?”
“That depends on how long it might take,” Leon said. “I know you’re enjoying this, Chase, but we shouldn’t stay too long. We still have distance and daylight. The sooner we get to where we’re going, the better.”
“That’s understandable,” Felix said. “There is something I’d like to ask of you, however. Normally I wouldn’t impose, but recently something’s happened in town. Something that could use the expertise of six guild members.”
That got everyone’s attention. Though Andrew looked like he was about to correct Felix, Chase spoke up first. “Let’s hear it!”
“Just this morning,” Felix explained, “I heard neighbors talking about the Sunspire’s aqueduct. Apparently, it’s stopped flowing.”
“What happened to it?” Andrew asked.
Felix shook his head. “That’s just it, no one knows yet. Regardless of the cause, no water means the crops won’t grow. And without the crops…”
“The town won’t have produce,” William concluded. “Neither for selling, nor feeding yourselves.”
Felix nodded. “With October around the corner, we’re getting ready to preserve the town’s food supply for the winter. We can’t have our irrigation fail now. The town has been getting ready to petition a guild for help. But with me and the six of you already here–”
“Of course we’ll help!” Chase said jubilantly. “Right guys?”
They all looked at each other, like everyone was waiting for someone else to give an answer.
William rested his bone club on his shoulder. “What would that entail, exactly? Would we be climbing the mountain to investigate?”
“Most likely, yes,” Felix answered. “It would take some time, but the ascend and descent should take no more than a few hours.”
Chase practically bounced in his chair, daydreaming about hiking the Sunspire again. And by the sound of William’s voice, he seemed excited, too.
“I think we oughta help these folks,” Andrew added. “If the hike’s that short, we might as well.”
Chase’s smile grew. It seemed like they were all on board.
“Hang on,” Leon said. “This might not be a good idea.”
Suddenly, Chase’s enthusiasm dampened. “What?” He tilted his head. “Why would ya say that?”
The Totodile blew out a quick sigh. “Listen,” he addressed Felix. “I know your aqueduct is important. But like I was saying, we don’t have much time to spare. We’re still a long ways away from the shore, and our detour has already set us back.”
“It hasn’t put us behind that much,” Chase insisted. He turned to the Snivy. “Corvo, how long will it take us to get to Caldera?”
“From here?” Corvo scratched his collar. “Probably half a day, tops. Could get there at sunset if we leave now. Or if we head out tomorrow morning, before noon.”
“Andrew,” Chase shifted his attention. “Once we’re there, how long ‘til we get to the shore?”
“I mean…” Andrew leaned back, looking a bit tense. “If we take the ferry, it’ll be about… two days?”
“So we’d still get there on Thursday,” Chase concluded. “We’d still get there in time.”
“That’s assuming nothing else slows us down,” Leon countered. “Look, I know that these people need help. But… so does Jacob.”
Chase’s face fell. As much as he wanted to stay in Amber Heights, and help his town’s aqueduct problem, he couldn’t deny that Leon had a point. And it seemed like William and Andrew were inclined to agree with him, judging by their expressions, while Corvo looked neutral.
Still… There was a certain Quilava who had been quiet so far.
“Enzo,” Chase began, “what do you think we should do?”
The Quilava blinked, and for a moment, Chase swore he could’ve seen a flash of surprise on his face. Though just as quickly he had his stony, neutral expression again, even as all eyes in the room settled on him. A few seconds passed before he finally spoke up.
“I think,” Enzo spoke quietly, “Felix shouldn’t go alone. We should help.”
The energy of the room seemed to change with that one comment. Maybe they’d get to climb the Sunspire after all?
“Are you sure about that?” Leon said. “I think the people here can handle it.”
“I wouldn’t mind going alone,” Felix added. “But–”
“Leon,” Enzo cut across. “You said going alone is ‘crazy.’ First day of training.”
The Totodile leaned back, recalling the memory. “I did? …I did.”
“Let’s test that,” Enzo said simply.
Chase saw an opportunity to push for his case, and so he spoke up. “Alright guys, I have an idea.” He drew everyone’s attention to him.
“We can just go and check out the mountain. It won’t take that long, really, and we don’t gotta commit to anything. All we gotta do is take a walk up the slope, and if we don’t find anything, we come back down. If we do find something, but can’t fix it, then we can at least let folks know what the problem is, and be on our way. We don’t lose much time, and we help the town. Everyone wins!”
Once again the energy of the room shifted, this time back to optimism. Most of Chase’s teammates shared positive looks and nods.
“I’d like to add to that,” William said. “If I may?”
Chase nodded. “Yeah, go for it!”
“While we are under a time limit, I cannot in good conscience turn away someone– an entire town in this case– that needs help that I can readily deliver. I hope I speak for us all when I say that. I believe we can do that without delaying ourselves too much.”
“…As long as we leave by tomorrow morning,” Andrew reminded, “we oughta make it to Caldera in time.”
“And it wouldn’t hurt,” Corvo spoke, fiddling with his silver coin, “to have a coupla favors lined up with these folks. We scratch their backs now, they scratch ours later, right?”
Chase nodded in agreement to all their points. “I think that settles it! We’ll check out the Sunspire, then get back on the road later!”
“Thank you,” Felix said. “All of you. I hope this doesn’t delay you for too long. We can leave for the base of the mountain shortly, I’ll prepare the chili before we leave.”
“Awesome!” Chase cheered. “This is gonna be great!”
The Larvesta left for the kitchen, while all the others checked their bags. They all looked excited, too. Everyone, except for Leon.
The Totodile glanced around the room with a weird look on his face. His mouth hung open a bit, like he wanted to say something but had the words stuck in his throat. Chase tilted his head at him. Was he okay?
About two hours past noon the group had made steady progress up the Sunspire. From the base they had ascended its bronze path, spiraling around the mountain as they followed the aqueduct. Along the way they practiced moving in formation, though Chase had assured them they wouldn’t run into any ferals.
Eventually they happened upon a nice, shady spot in a patch of pine trees. Two fellow climbers, a Deerling and a Pansear, were having a picnic and invited the team to join them. The decision was almost unanimous, and Chase’s stomach growled as his hunger snuck up on him. Soon they were sitting upon a wide cloth blanket, sharing berries, bread, and other snacks from a basket.
“Thanks, you two!” Chase said as he picked out his food. His eyes shined at the sight of a brilliant, orange pepper.
Next to him, William and Andrew shared cheese and Grepa berries.
“I’ve noticed,” the Cubone began, “that most mons in Amber Heights are either grass-types, or fire-types.”
“Oh yeah, that’s no coincidence,” Chase replied, then bit into his hot pepper. Corvo’s face scrunched up as he watched him snack deliciously spicy fruit. “The Sunspire’s not just great for photosynthesis,” he paused to finish chewing. “It’s also a literal hot-spot for flaming friends.”
“What exactly does that mean?” William inquired.
“As a matter of folklore,” Felix explained, “it’s widely believed that the Sunspire helps bring fire-types closer to evolution. The mountain attracts, shall we say, ‘pilgrims’ throughout the year.”
“Yeeeaaah,” Pansear mused in a mellow voice. “I’m like, not even close to evolvin’. But this place is, like, groovy.”
“That’s one way to put it,” Deerling added, passing another slice of bread to her friend. “I’m not sure if I feel it the same way, being a grass-type. But there is something tranquil about this place.”
“Toootally.” Pansear laid back with his hands behind his head.
“Of course,” Felix continued, “I should stress that it’s just folklore. There’s no proof as to whether or not the Sunspire brings anyone closer to evolution. The same is true for other ‘evolution sites.’”
Chase caught a glimpse of Enzo tilting his head up, gazing up towards the mountain peak. So he shuffled closer to their Quilava friend. “How about you?” he asked. “You feeling anything?”
For a moment, Enzo didn’t respond. He just kept staring at the summit, then tilted his head toward Chase. “Maybe,” he said. “Peaceful. Kind of.” Finally, he turned toward him. “You?”
“I’m always happy to be here,” Chase said. “Just wonder how fire-folks feel it. Oh! I wonder if Jacob might feel anything here? Hey, Leon–” He turned, yet of all the mons on the picnic blanket, he wasn’t there.
“…Huh? Where’d he go?”
Everyone turned their heads in search of the Totodile, and Chase promptly spotted him under some other pine trees a few yards away.
Leon was pacing back-and-forth, almost like he was unaware that there was a picnic right next to him. His face was scrunched up, wearing a worried expression.
Chase propped himself up and took a few steps toward him. “Hey, Leon? You okay?”
Leon spun towards him, tense and startled. As he realized who it was he relaxed a little.
“Oh, Chase,” he said in a strained voice. “Well, no. I’m not okay.”
“Maybe you should eat something?” Chase suggested, tilting his head back toward the picnic. “You gotta keep your strength up.”
William, Andrew, Corvo, and Enzo, started moving towards Leon, as if they wanted to check on him, too. The other three remained at the picnic. Meanwhile, the Totodile shook his head.
“How can I relax, knowing that Jacob could be locked-up in a dark room, and I’m doing nothing to help him?”
“I would not say that we’re doing nothing,” William said. “We’re merely taking on an extra task to help those in need.”
“We all agreed to this,” Enzo stated.
Leon gave the Quilava a cold stare. “I didn’t agree to anything. You guys just out-voted me. We’re not doing anything about this side-errand now, we’re just… Having a jolly picnic.”
A bit of guilt blossomed within Chase. He thought it was reasonable for them to investigate the aqueduct. Yet he couldn’t help but feel for Leon now.
“What, are we supposed to skip meals?” Corvo said.
Now Leon glared at Corvo. “Well, I figured you’d just rob some more pantries along the way,” he said in a low growl.
Corvo rolled his eyes. “Here we go again…”
Chase tensed up. Where did that come from? He didn’t know what was going on between these guys, but he didn’t like it. “Hey now, let’s not fight!”
“Nothing good will come of this,” William added. “We’re meant to be working together.”
“Nothing good’s gonna come from working with a con-mon stick around,” Leon rebuked, flashing some of his teeth.
“Sure, I’m the bad guy,” Corvo remarked, flicking his collar. “Those Eidolons literally kidnapped your brother, but by all means, get pissed at me for trying to help.”
“Let’s stop and take a breath,” Andrew suggested. “Bickering’s not gonna help.”
“Neither is sitting around,” Leon shook his head. “…I knew I should’ve just gone by myself.”
Whoa, now that was ice-cold. Chase’s mouth hung open as he tried to think of something, anything, to warm things up.
Next to him, Enzo locked eyes with Leon. “You ask for trust, but offer none.” He shook his head in disapproval. “Maybe that’s why Jacob is gone.”
Leon winced, stunned silent.
Good Arceus, was everyone gonna take a swing at Leon? “Guys, guys!” Chase called. “Let’s just… lay off, okay?”
Leon’s mouth twitched. His hands idly curled and uncurled as he stared at each of them, not knowing what to do next. “…I don’t need this,” he uttered. Leon promptly turned tail and walked away, leaving the group as he ventured somewhere else on the mountain.
Andrew blew out a breath. “Okay… Wow.”
William removed his helmet and massaged his forehead. “I can scarcely think of a way that could’ve gone worse.”
Meanwhile, Corvo crossed his arms and tapped his foot. “I’m not apologizin’. I gave my time for this, and this is my thanks?”
“I’m not saying you’ve done anything wrong,” William replied patiently. “It’s merely that, in these circumstances…”
Chase tuned out the conversation. His worries about Leon were confirmed– it had been a long time since he had seen anyone so upset. He must have really missed Jacob, yet there was something else bothering him, too. Something with Corvo? One thing was for sure– his problems weren’t gonna fix themselves.
“I’ll be back,” Chase announced. Without waiting for a response he bound off after Leon. The noise behind him gradually faded as he immersed himself in shady trails beneath towering spruce trees. Chase kept his head craned up, looking in all directions for the Totodile.
The shade eventually gave way to patches of sunlight beaming through the canopy. Before long the treeline ended and led to a cliff on the western side of the mountain. Down below was the ash-dusted field in which the “Fire Festival” took place every Summer solstice.
Milk.
Further down to the left was Leon, sitting on the edge with his feet hanging over. His head slumped and his eyes drooped. Even from a distance, Chase could feel his coldness. So he wandered toward him, ready to share his own warmth.
“Hey Leon,” he greeted.
The Totodile turned, barely changing his expression as he noticed Chase. “Oh. Hey.” He turned his head away. “You gonna take a bite out of me, too?”
“No,” Chase said gently. “I just wanted to check on you.” He tucked his paws in, loafing beside Leon. “How are you feeling?”
Leon shrugged. “Not great.”
Chase nodded. “I thought so. Some of that might be my fault, taking us up here. I’m real sorry about that.”
Leon’s mouth twisted. He threw his hands up, venting some exasperation. “It’s just that… We wander off now, what’s gonna keep us from doing it again? It’s like you guys decided to just forget about Jacob.”
Chase almost spoke, but stopped himself. If he said they hadn’t forgotten about Jacob, that wouldn’t accomplish anything. A response like that would just sound like ‘nu-uh.’ What if he tried taking Leon’s mind off of it with positive thoughts instead?
He cast his gaze down at the Fire Festival field, a place that made him happy. Some years ago he came out to that field with Felix, during the Summer solstice, and that was a blast. As he recalled the fried food, lively music, and shows of chromatic fire, he pictured Jacob being there for next year’s festival. Of course, they had to save him first–
Wait a sec. Maybe that was the answer? Get Leon to talk about Jacob, and listen to him, to show that he does care?
“Well, can you tell me more about him?” Chase asked.
Leon blinked, turning to Chase with a surprised expression. “W-what?”
“You guys must’ve had a lot of fun, growing up together,” Chase continued. “Can you tell me a bit about that? I’d like to hear!”
Skepticism flashed across Leon’s face. “Why are you asking now?”
“So that we remember who we’re fighting for,” Chase spoke softly.
As the seconds passed by, so did the tension in Leon’s face. His eyes softened, and his shoulders relaxed. He took a deep breath.
“Well, there was this one time when we went river rafting.”
Chase’s eyes bulged. “You’re kidding. He went on the water?”
“Eheh,” Leon scratched the back of his head, cracking a small smile. “So, there was this river west of our hometown, and I wanted to raft it. Everything I did, Jacob wanted in on it, and that was no different. So we got a raft put together, ropes and logs and all that, and we headed over to the stream.”
“Yeah?” Chase scooted over, listening closely.
“He was all psyched about it… Until he saw the river. The water was high and bubbling with white foam. He shrunk back, and I told him again he didn’t have to go. But he shook his head and said, ‘if you’re going, I’m going.’”
“So how’d it go?”
Leon twiddled his thumbs. “He held on to me tight. Squeezed me every time he got sprayed with the water–” Chase shivered. “But, I kept telling him he’d be okay. I held him back, made sure he didn’t fall in or anything.”
“Aww. You’re a great brother!”
Leon’s cheeks glowed slightly red. “I-if you say so. I just wish…” He glanced away. “You know.”
“What else did you guys do together?” Chase pushed.
“Well, there was this other time when Jacob was learning how to use his fire. I don’t know anything about fire, but I wanted to help him learn it.”
“I wish I could’ve been there for that!” Chase beamed.
Leon chuckled. “Maybe not. First thing we did was go to the library, checked out some books about learning fire-moves. A week later, well… That book had some extra burn marks.”
Chase laughed. “Must’ve worked!”
“Well, after about two weeks Jake could start lighting fires on-purpose, instead of on-accident. Then he spent a lot more time in the kitchen, helping Mom and Dad with cooking anytime he could. He loved roasting veggies.”
“I’d like to be there next time!” Chase said. “Can Jacob be my brother, too?”
Leon laughed, but it petered out with a sigh. “…We have to find him first. And we’re not doing anything to get that done right now.”
Chase had Leon on the right track, but he was about to go back to square one. Of course, they couldn’t just get up and leave town yet– Chase’s gut told him they were close to solving the aqueduct mystery. He once again imagined what it would be like if Jacob was here, so they didn’t have to worry about him…
Another flash of inspiration.
“Leon,” Chase began. “If you and Jake swapped places, what do you think he’d do here?”
“What do you mean?” Leon asked, puzzled. “Like, if I needed a rescue, and Jacob set off to find me?” but his teammates wanted to help some other people first?”
Chase nodded. “Right. Except his teammates wanted to help some other people first. What would he do?”
A wrinkle formed on the Totodile’s forehead, as if he was thinking hard.
“From what you told me,” Chase continued, “it sounds like Jacob likes helping other mons. Does he?”
“…When we met William,” Leon spoke. He reached into his backpack, pulling out Jacob’s all-important pocket watch. “A Staraptor tried to steal this. He was probably an Eidolon, come to think of it. William fought him, helped us get this back. But he got badly hurt. Jacob…” Leon’s expression softened. “He shelled out almost all of his money, paying for Will’s treatment. He didn’t even think twice about it.”
Jacob did that? He was even more selfless than Chase thought. He nodded, encouraging Leon to continue.
“…Then there was the first day of training. Will got put on the spot, in Veronica’s class. And Jake, he stood up for him. Didn’t want him to get bullied.”
“That’s right,” Chase said. “Jake’s got a heart of gold. And he’s rubbed off on you.”
Leon scratched his back, but Chase could see a flicker of a smile on his face. “What makes you think that?”
“You might be a Totodile,” Chase explained. “But you’ve got that same zeal that flame-folks have. You’ve got fire in your heart– that’s Jacob’s energy! It makes sense why you two are so tight.”
Leon’s expression softened, and his smile was now more than a flicker. He glanced away, staring down at the ashen field. “…Jake’s definitely had an influence on me,” he said. “If I never had him at my side, well, I don’t think I would’ve left home for the guild.”
“I know that feeling!” Chase bubbled. “That’s the kind of friend Felix has been for me. Backing each other up whenever we need it.”
The two looked out over the field, with the sun still shining down on them both.
“Jake’s lucky to have you, you know?”
Leon sighed. “I dunno about that. I couldn’t save him the first time. It’s like… l-like…” He turned his head away, hiding his face. Whatever he was going to say next fizzled out. Was there some detail he wasn’t sharing? Whatever it was, there was no point in dwelling.
“You’re gonna make it right,” Chase insisted. “We all are. Even if you don’t feel it now, you’re a hero to Jacob.”
Leon turned back to Chase, meeting his eyes with his own red, glistening irises.
“And when we get him back, we can tell him all the stories of what we did to save him. He’s gonna think you’re even more awesome than before!”
Leon stared down at the fields below, and Chase watched his expression. Over the course of a minute it morphed from sullen doubt to confidence, his eyes and smile both widening. The sun gilded his face. He stood up.
“…Then let’s go fix that duct,” Leon proclaimed.
“Awesome!” Chase bounced up. “Let’s get back with the others!” He turned and started running–
“Hey, wait.”
He stopped, glancing back over his shoulder as Leon jogged to catch up. “Oh right, sorry!”
“Well, actually, I just wanted to say ‘thanks.’”
Chase beamed. “Anytime, Leon!”
Once Chase and Leon regrouped with the others, the former went to help Pansear and Deerling clean up their picnic. The latter had a word with the team. Chase tilted his head to get a better listen.
“Hey, so…” Leon spoke. “I’m sorry if I was… you know. Out of line.”
“Eh, it’s alright,” Corvo answered. “We’re already carryin’ a lot. No point in makin’ it heavier with grudges.”
“Hmm,” Enzo hummed. “Maybe I crossed a line, too. Bygones?”
“Bygones,” Leon agreed.”
With the picnic cleaned up, as well as their dispositions, the team continued their ascent up the Sunspire, following the aqueduct.
Half an hour had passed, yet they found no signs of whatever was blocking the water’s flow. Trees had become rare at their elevation, and the air was a touch cooler, prompting Chase to walk closer to Enzo. The team rounded a corner, reaching an overlook looming above the town. The houses and terrace farms seemed so small, with their backdrop of autumnal hills rolling into the horizon.
“It seems we’re close to the summit,” William noted.
“Still no sign of any damage,” Andrew said. “It’s weird.”
“Any chance the duct’s just dried up?” Corvo asked.
Felix shook his head. “The ice caps would need to have melted completely, and they’ve never come close. They replenish every Winter.”
As nice as the view was, Chase’s spirits were getting dampened. They had come pretty far up, yet they had made no progress in finding the aqueduct’s problem. Maybe it was time to head back down, for Leon’s sake?
“Well guys,” Chase began. “It’s been a few hours. We’ve come pretty far up, but maybe we should– wh-whoa!”
His feet slid on something slippery. Before he knew it Chase fell onto his belly, sliding across the ground and bumping into one of the aqueduct’s arches.
“What the– is this ice?” he remarked. “Ack, it’s so cold!”
William kneeled down, tracing a finger across the shiny ground. “It is ice, a whole trail of it. How…?”
“Up there,” Andrew said, guiding everyone’s attention toward the arch. The aqueduct was encased in a small glacier, like a fist of clear ice holding the stone in a crushing grip.
“How did that happen?” Leon asked.
“Hey, check this out!” Chase beckoned as he rose to his feet, though slipped on the ice and fell onto his belly again.
“Smooth moves,” Corvo said.
“No, not that,” he scrambled back up. “Look at the edges, there’s a black circle all around the ice!”
The group glanced down, noticing a blackened ring– a few yards in diameter– circling the ground around the dust.
“It’s a blast mark,” Chase said, but lost his footing once more. “Gah, someone get me off this cold stuff!”
“I recognize this kind of mark,” Felix noted as William came to Chase’s aid. “They’re formed when someone evolves.”
“Like at the festival!” Chase said. He grabbed onto William’s club with his vine, sliding across the frost. “When those guys evolved, they absorbed the heat around them, made a flash, and left behind a black ring like this one!”
“Absorb heat?” Leon echoed. “So, that means…”
“It can’t be,” Felix said. “It’s only a small amount. A fire-type’s evolution could freeze a few raindrops, but not this much water.”
Enzo nodded in agreement.
“What else could it be?” Andrew asked. “Maybe someone did evolve here, but, I dunno, something went wrong?”
“I have no idea,” Felix replied. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say that someone, somehow, took a chunk of the summit’s ice and crashed it here.”
“Whatever it is, we found the problem!” Chase said, finally getting off of the ice. A fire welled up within him– they solved the mystery! …Kind of. In any case, now they knew what the real problem was. And he knew how to solve it.
“Let’s melt this!”
Felix nodded, and he and Enzo approached the sheet of ice while everyone else stepped aside.
Chase watched in awe as they expelled streaks of flame. Enzo breathed fire, while Felix summoned five streaks of flames– one from each horn. Their infernal lances painted the rocks and shrubs with a brilliant, warm glow. The treacherous ice on the ground rapidly melted into a puddle. Meanwhile, their fire sieged the fortress of rime stuck to the stone arch. The frost melted and dripped down, falling to the grass like rain.
“Yeah, you got this!” Chase cheered.
Nearly a minute passed and the ice melted steadily, but slowly.
Felix’s flames petered out and he stopped, catching his breath.
Chase ran over to him. “Hey! You okay?”
The Larvesta nodded. Soon after, Enzo stopped as well. The glacier seemed a bit smaller, but still very much intact.
“It’s not enough,” Felix said. “We may need to go back down, get some other fire-types on this.”
“Wait, I have an idea,” Leon said. He turned to Chase. “What if you used Solarbeam?”
A shiver coursed down Chase’s back. “Err, about that…” He glanced away. “I actually don’t know how to use Solarbeam.”
“Hah?” Leon made a puzzled face. “But I saw you use it before. Back when we fought that Camerupt, remember?
“Well, I took his Solarbeam and shot it back,” Chase explained. “I’ve only done it a couple times. Making my own beam is a different game. I’ve tried, but never pulled it off before.” The idea of making his own Solarbeam was tempting though, especially with how chilly it was at this altitude.
“It’s worth a shot,” Felix said. “I’ve been practicing Sunny Day. That can help you harness the energy you need.”
“Good idea,” Leon said. “Are you up for it, Chase?”
Chase’s pulse quickened. “I mean, I’d like to. But, I’m not sure if I can…”
Leon placed a hand on his shoulder, smiling warmly at Chase. “You know, that’s exactly what Jacob said before his first Ember. You’ve got it in you, I know you do. And you don’t have to do it alone, either.” He glanced up, regarding the rest of the team.
“Felix, your Sunny Day ought to give you and Enzo the boost you all need. Andrew, you can help with your Dragon Rage. Will, try lighting your club on fire like you did before– can you help him with that, Enzo?”
Everyone moved at once. Felix’s red horns began glowing with solar energy, summoning a small sun above his head. Andrew stood beside him, his mouth already glowing with draconic flames.
Meanwhile, Enzo flared his vents, producing steady flames. William held his club above it as if he was toasting a marshmallow on a stick, and the symbols on his club began to glow as well.
Between them both was Chase, already feeling warmer from his friends and their flames.
“How ‘bout me?” Corvo asked. “Anything I can do?”
Leon turned to him, then glanced up at the ice. “…What if you climbed up the aqueduct?” Leon suggested. “See if there’s any weaknesses in the ice.”
Corvo shrugged. “Sure, just point those flames away from me.”
“You’ll be okay,” Leon assured. “Everyone here knows what they’re doing.”
Though Leon’s confidence also warmed Chase, the Bulbasaur couldn’t really say he knew what he was doing. Could he actually make a Solarbeam? Well, one thing was for sure: he wouldn’t get any closer to learning it by not trying.
Felix finished his Sunny Day, as the solar orb above his head fully formed. The miniature sun floated above the team, shining brightly and basking them in pleasant warmth. The flames from all the fire-wielding mons intensified, and they set their sights on the ice.
On one side, Corvo shot his vines up the pillar, beginning to scale the arch.
On the other side, Leon stood clear of the line of fire. “Are you guys ready?” he asked.
They all nodded, brandishing their flames.
Chase steeled himself. “Let’s light it up!”
All at once they unleashed their firepower: Enzo and Andrew breathing fire, Felix summoning flames from his horns, and William swinging his empowered club, lashing out with infernal waves. The temperature soared as the localized firestorm began, bolstered by the miniature sun.
Chase concentrated on the heat and light. He imagined sunlight funneling into his bulb, building up energy. All of his muscles tensed, his eyes squinted, picturing the ice melting from a mighty ray of sunlight. All he had to do was make it happen.
“Come on… come on… come on…!”
Yet as the flameslingers turned up the heat, all Chase could produce was a grunt. The ice continued to melt, but it was slow. He doubled his focus, tensed his limbs even harder. But the power of the sun continued to elude him. Doubt clouded his mind, blocking the light. Was he just not good enough?
“Chase, listen,” Leon called. The Bulbasaur’s tension broke, and he turned his head to the Totodile. “Don’t think about the heat outside of you,” Leon coached. “Think about the warmth on the inside. That’s how Jacob learned it!”
Warmth… inside of him? At Leon’s suggestion, nostalgic thoughts lit up his mind. The Fire Festival, with its dueling dragons and their chromatic flames. Thanking Felix for taking him there, and how his Larvesta friend later encouraged him to join the guild. And eventually, that led to where Chase was now: surrounded by friends, taking on a daring quest, and helping his hometown along the way.
Chase felt happy, but it was more than just that. He was inspired in a way he could hardly describe, and it made his heart swell. Every nerve in his body heated up. A bursting energy materialized at the top of his bulb, pulling him upward like storm winds racing up the mountain. The sensation threatened to overtake him, until a zen calm cascaded down his mind, like the first rays of dawn beaming over the horizon.
Dust plumed around Chase as a lance of pure, solar light flared from his bulb. A deafening blast rattled the air, and the white beam left spots in his vision. The glacial wall cracked and burst into shards of hail, which rapidly melted to raindrops before they touched the ground. The rest of the rime steadily melted from the combined heat of fire and sunlight, pouring down the arch as water.
The Solarbeam gradually dissipated, and Chase’s legs wobbled like jelly. By the time the light fizzled out he collapsed, huffing in fresh air with heavy breaths, like the other exhausted mons around him. Silence lingered, like the eerie quiet after a thunderclap.
“Hey gang!” Corvo called from atop the duct. “Your crazy lightshow worked– water’s flowing again!”
Chase perked his ears up. It was faint, but he could hear it– the sound of water flowing, gently running down the stone channel.
“Woooo…!” Chase panted, then picked himself up.
“Awesome!” Leon cheered. “You did great, all of you!”
William, Andrew, Enzo, and Felix all rose to their feet.
“Thank you,” Felix said. “The town’s in your debt.”
“Are we ready to head back down, then?” Andrew asked.
“Hold up!” Corvo called again. “Found something up here, ya might wanna see this.” The Snivy latched his vines onto the duct and swung his way back down. The team gathered around him, and he presented something wondrous.
In both hands he held a colorful stone, with countless splinters of the spectrum displaying every shade of every color. Though it was faded, like a dark rainbow contained within smooth glass.
“What is it?” Enzo asked.
“It’s like some kind of opal!” Chase remarked. “Come to think of it, it looks like a buncha evolution stones mashed together.”
“It almost looks like a Chroma Cobble,” Leon said. “Long story about what those are, but I’m not sure.”
“Not sure either,” Corvo answered. “But it don’t look like an ordinary gem.”
Before anyone else ventured, William reached out and touched the stone. Corvo passed it off to him, and the Cubone held it up, inspecting it from different angles.
“…I would like to hang onto this,” William said. “If that’s alright with the rest of you.”
Leon nodded. “Fine by me.”
“Looks like we’re all set here,” Andrew said. “We can head back down the mountain. But I gotta be honest, my feet are gettin’ sore…”
Chase glanced around at the rest of the team, and they shared the Axew’s weariness. A walk back down the Sunspire would take some time… He glanced up at the aqueduct, listening to the calm, steady hum of flowing water. A wide grin splayed across his face.
“Guys, you know how to ride a water slide?”
The townsfolk of Amber Heights were quick to notice that their aqueduct flowed again. When Felix explained to them what happened, they threw a celebration. A couple hours later the team returned to Felix’s house, where they comfortably settled into the silk furniture and nibbled on the lavender cake they had been gifted.
“I think today went pretty well!” Leon said, lounging on the web couch.
“It sure has,” Andrew agreed. “This’ll be a fun story to share with Pa when I get home.”
Enzo glanced out the window in the next room, where the edge of the western sky was fading to a purple dusk. “It’s late,” he mentioned.
“I suppose we should rest soon, then,” William replied. “We’ll need to rise early, so we can make haste for Caldera.” He nodded at Leon, who smiled appreciatively.
“Way ahead of ya,” Corvo called from the next room, and turned in his hammock.
One by one everyone went to sleep– some moving to hammocks while others chose to stay where they were. Everyone except for Chase and Felix, that is.
The two friends had gathered in the kitchen, finishing off the rest of their treats from the town’s party.
“It seems that you’re in good hands,” Felix said. “I’m not so surprised that you’ve made so many friends this quickly.”
“Those guys are great,” Chase replied. “Never thought I’d be on a wild adventure like this so soon. But hey, I’m having fun.”
Felix nodded. “I’m glad you decided to join that guild after all.”
Chase smiled back at him. “I’m glad you gave me that little push I needed. I still miss home, though.”
“I’ve missed you, too. We all have.” Felix glanced out the window, looking towards the half-moon in the sky. “So, about that ‘Mystery Dungeon.’ Are you nervous?”
Chase thought about it before he answered. “I mean, kind of? No one knows what we’re gonna find out there. But with the six of us, we can take on anything!”
Felix chuckled. “I’d never doubt that. You’re not the shy ‘saur you used to be.”
Warmth welled-up within Chase once again. “But you’re still the same friend I’ve always known.”
The two watched the moon together for a time, basking in its light.
“Whatever happens out there,” Felix said, “be careful, alright?”
“No promises,” Chase said with a snort. Though after a glance from Felix, he kept talking. “We’ve got a great team, we’ll be fine!”
“I hope so. Just don’t let overconfidence get to you.” Felix yawned quietly. “Now would be a good time for sleep.”
“Yeah…” Chase caught his friend’s yawn. “Next time, we’ll stay longer.”
The two retired to a pair of hammocks in Felix’s room. Another sleepover at his best-friend’s house, just like the old days. Chase’s nostalgic musing blurred into fuzzy, unfocused thoughts as he sank into the cozy net.
“Goodnight, Chase,” Felix said.
The Bulbasaur’s heavy eyelids were already half-shut, and his mouth hung open.
“G’night… Fireface.”
Felix snorted.
0 Comments