Chapter 11: In Deep Water, Part 2

The streams led Nightscale and company to a massive, open space between the corals. They stopped, looking on at the scene ahead.

The room was an enormous pond, its lazy blue waters glistening in the sunlight. Lumineon, Goldeen, Seaking, and thousands of Wishiwashi weaved through thickets of water grasses.  Enormous lily pads floated on the surface, converging in a giant cluster in the center of the room. A dozen rushing streams encircled the pond, spilling into the basin. 

Ivan’s eyes lit up. ‘Look at this place! It’s beautiful, and most importantly, it’s big! The pouch is bound to be here somewhere!’ 

“Okay, let’s do an initial sweep! Does anyone see anything out of place?” he directed.

Galena squinted to look before shaking her head. “Not yet. I’m not a great swimmer, so I hope we don’t have to do too thorough a search.”

“I second that. And I’ll admit, I may have trouble. Druddigon are near-sighted,” Inti said with a frown. 

“So are Beautifly!” Lady added. “But I can fly to get a closer look. “That’s just one way my Inti and I are perfect together!” 

“Not a problem. We’ll just have to do our best,” Ivan replied with a nod.

Galena put a hand over her brow as she looked around, slowly craning her neck. Her head bobbed up and her eyes widened. “Oh, crap. I think I see something!” 

“Wait, really?” Ivan uttered before grinning. “What do you see?”

She pointed over to a rock jutting out past the lily pads. Sitting on it was a large lump of brown cloth, with the waves below lapping at it. 

‘This must be it!’ Ivan’s thoughts exclaimed. ‘That was fast! With how much grief we’ve had with missions lately, it’s great for such an impactful one to go this smoothly!’

“That’s it! Now it’s just a matter of getting to it,” he replied, tapping his chin.

Lady gasped. “I could fly over and bring it back!” 

“Sweetheart, you shouldn’t go alone,” Inti chimed in. “It nearly got you eaten earlier. If you’re going over there, I will at least accompany you. Though that does seem… difficult.”

Ivan scanned the pond as he thought of a way to get to it. His eyes followed the cluster of floating plants from the middle of the room to its edge in front of them. It was a path-like formation offering to lead them to the pouch.

“Maybe we could hop across the lily pads?” he suggested.

Galena gestured around her large form as she gave him an exasperated stare. “You think this body’s going to make it over?” 

“Well, I’d like you guys to contribute to retrieving it. I can go first, test out their stability,” the Grovyle proposed. 

Lady flapped her wings. “Good luck!”

Ivan smiled at the Beautifly before planting his feet. He focused on the center of the first lily pad, studying its wrinkles and veins. He ran and sprang forward before landing belly-first on the leafy platform, causing it to sway. It went still a moment later. He slowly rose before stepping lightly over it. 

It was stable, at least for him.

A relieved smile crossed the Grovyle’s face. “I think it’s safe!”

Galena and Inti sighed simultaneously. 

“You weigh like six times less than me dude,” the Goodra groaned. “But I’ll give it a shot.”

The Druddigon shook his head. “I suppose we’re doing this.”

Ivan eyed the next lily pad in the path. He positioned himself to jump again before leaping onto the next one. It too wobbled but ultimately went still. With a grunt, he quickly jumped to another platform, and then another. 

He turned around to proudly look at the others. “We’ve got this! Lady can come first since she can fly over!”

“Fine, but I’ll be immediately after,” Inti insisted, crossing his arms.

The Grovyle nodded. “Sure thing!” 

“Okay, here I gooo!” Lady sang. She fluttered elegantly over, her course twisting and dancing as she traced the path. Once she reached Ivan, she closed her eyes in satisfaction. 

Inti froze up as he eyed the first lily pad. “Oh… oh dear.”

“You can do it, honey!” his wife called, her eyes gleaming confidently like sapphires.

“Aim for the center!” Ivan added.

The Druddigon exhaled. He raised his large foot before cautiously lowering it onto the edge of the plant. It sunk below the surface, causing him to flinch. He stretched his leg out and closed his eyes before throwing the rest of his body forward. 

Expecting to plunge into the water, Inti let out a loud cry. But when he opened his eyes, to his shock, he was standing on the still-floating platform.

“I’m alive,” he said in relief, clutching his rising chest. 

“Good job, sweetheart!” Lady cheered. “Just a few more!”

He forced a smile at her before steeling himself for the next jump. With a roar, he charged off the pad and leaped onto the next one. It sunk slightly before bobbing back up. Encouraged by the adoring gazes of the Beautifly, he pushed forward until he was with her and Ivan. 

The Grovyle patted Inti’s shoulder and gave him an approving smile. He then turned to Galena, the only one yet to cross.

“Think you can get over?” he called.

The Goodra rolled her eyes. “I’ll do my best. If the men can do it, why can’t I…”

She waddled up to the edge, taking in a deep breath. Her reflection in the water stared up at her, reminding her of her wide, awkwardly built form. 

Galena exhaled. “I’m probably not very buoyant, so let’s try to stay above the water.” She squatted down and threw her arms out before pushing off her heels. 

The others held their breath as she dove onto the first lily pad. She belly-flopped onto the plant and slid, her slime easing the process while helping her stick to it. Though the platform dipped and water began to amass under her, it floated defiantly back up. 

The Goodra pushed herself up, gawking at the lily pad effortlessly holding her. “Wow. If only everyone were as supportive of my body type.”

“I believe in you, gal pal!” Lady cheered. 

Galena smirked. “Thanks, girlfriend. I’ll just need a few minutes. This body isn’t exactly meant for jumping or running.”

---

Inti took Galena’s arm and pulled her to her feet. After a bit of patience, the four were together again, each of them standing on or floating above a different lily pad. 

“We made it, and nobody fell in the water!” Ivan said proudly. 

“Yes, that is fortunate,” Inti remarked before pointing to the pouch. “Now, would it be alright if we retrieved what we came here for?”

The Grovlye nodded. “Of course! Would anyone like to do the honors?” 

“Not me,” Galena and the Druddigon said in tandem. 

“Ooh, ooh! Can I do it?” Lady asked, eagerly fanning her wings. 

Ivan gave her a claws-up. “Go ahead! This way, you’ll be the one completing our first mission together!” 

“Careful not to get your wings wet,” Inti warned her. 

With a squeal, the Beautifly flew off again. She weaved joyously through the air and descended onto the pouch. She picked it up with her round arms before spinning around, eyes glinting with accomplishment. As she floated back, her husband watched the water in anticipation of another ambush.

“I diiiiiiiid it!” she sang, presenting the bag to Ivan. 

He grinned as he took it. It was soaked and dripping, but that didn’t hinder the pride filling his chest. ‘This means… our first mission was a resounding success! Can’t wait to give this back to Team Skyward. They might not cheer our names around town, but hey, it’s something for the new Nightscale to show!’

“Good job, Lady! How does it feel to complete your first mission?” the Grovyle asked, gesturing to the bag.

Her eyes grew to twice their normal size. “My first mission? It…  feels amazing!” She rapidly flapped her wings and looked at Inti. “Darling, we did it! We’re real rescuers now!” 

The Druddigon smiled before chuckling. “I’m glad you’re happy, sweetheart. And safe. Most importantly, safe.”

“Good job, Sharpedo wrangler,” Galena joked, softly elbowing him before smirking at Lady. “And hats off to you, girlfriend. I remember when I completed my first mission. So many Ekans… anyway. You feel proud?”

“I do! It’s such a wonderful feeling!” she replied, flying a little higher. 

“You two earned it!” Ivan encouraged. “After today, I know we’ll be a great team!”

He looked down at the pouch in his claws. ‘Speaking of teams… I wonder what a Gold-Rank team carries with them. Dad taught me the essentials, but he never let anyone poke around in his bag. He was funny like that, sometimes.’

Ivan untied a soggy string holding the bag together and plunged his claw into the fabric. He winced as the claw was submerged completely. 

As he pulled his hand out, he found himself gripping a yellow, teardrop-shaped object. It was disintegrating, the outer layer of what seemed like a shell peeling off. 

“Looks like a lot of stuff’s going to waste in here. This was some form of seed. I think,” he muttered. 

Suddenly, he felt compelled to stare out at the shining waters. His expression turned thoughtful as a sense of familiarity washed over him. 

‘It’s like the time Dad and Lindon took me on a fetch quest,’ the Grovyle thought, reminded of his father and his Dragonite teammate. ‘It was at a big pond like this. Lindon found a few plain seeds, so he showed me a trick to skip them across the water.’

“Hey, do you guys want to see me skip this over the pond?” he asked the group, raising the seed. 

Galena raised a brow. “What makes you want to do that kind of shi—”

“That sounds fun!” Lady interrupted, her eyes glinting. 

“Great! So here’s how you do it,” Ivan said before walking to the edge of the lily pads. He extended his arm with his claw facing the sky as he held the seed loosely. “You hold the seed like this, tilt it, then…”

He widened his stance and twisted his body to the side, winding up. “You get into position, then carry through and… throw!”

The Grovyle unwound himself before giving the seed a hearty sidearm throw. The item flew into the water and bounced on the surface. It kissed the water a few times before diving under with a satisfying splorsh and sinking to the sand below. 

Ivan turned back around and clapped his hands to clean them of any remnants of the seed.

“Impressive, right?” he remarked smugly. 

Galena gave him a bored stare before putting a hand on her hip. “It was certainly something.”

“You threw it so well!” Lady complimented with a flap of her wings. 

“Thank you, Lady,” the Grovyle replied before pointing a claw upward. “Now that we’ve flawlessly completed Team Skyward’s request, let’s head home! We have some more things to discuss, but if we’re happy with this experience, then I see no reason why the new Nightscale can’t start off with a–”

BANG!

A loud boom echoed through the room. An explosion behind Ivan displaced gallons and gallons of water everywhere. He gasped and spun around. 

‘Oh Crawdaunt… that was a blast seed.’

After a brief moment, the water stilled and the wind carried the resulting mist away. The scene appeared to return to normal. 

That was until a lone Wishiwashi floated up on its side, unmoving. 

Dead. 

It was followed by five more of its kin, then ten. Soon, dozens of victimized fish appeared, filling the radius of the blast. 

“Uh oh,” Ivan uttered as he watched the graveyard of Wishiwashi grow. 

Galena lowered her neck to smack her forehead. “How is the base still intact?” 

Inti gawked in horror at the pool of small, lifeless Pokémon. His face was flushed, and in his eyes was a mixture of sympathy and fear. 

Another moment passed, and the tension in the air seemed to dissipate.

‘Thank Arceus,’ Ivan thought before sighing. ‘I guess that wasn’t enough to piss them— huh?’

His eyes widened as the surface of the pond rippled. Hundreds of Wishiwashi from around the room began to converge. They seemed to stick to each other, building off each other and growing the school into a larger shape. They quickly formed a lashing, dark, enormous blue mass. 

“Heeeere we go,” Galena muttered as she gritted her teeth. 

“W-what’s happening?” Inti uttered, choked by dread. “Are they amassing?” 

“We’re about to find out! Good going, pepper head!” she yelled at Ivan before taking a defensive stance. 

The mass continued to writhe and expand. Wishiwashi soon replaced the water, their numbers too great to count. It rose from the surface, and offshoots began to grow into huge fins and a tail. After half a minute, the school finished merging into their collective, towering over the group as a fifteen-foot-tall leviathan. 

“E-everyone makes mistakes!” Ivan yelped as he looked up in terror.

Inti gulped. “Oh, Arceus…”

The monstrous fish roared before raising a fin into the air. Loose Wishiwashi rained down on the four.

“Everyone duck, then attack!!” the Grovyle commanded.

Inti tensed up. “We’re going to FIGHT that thing!?”

“Unless you’re a fast runner, we’ve got no choice!” Galena hollered back.

The goliath swung its right fin down in an attempt to sweep them away.

“One, two, NOW!” Ivan shouted at the top of his lungs.

The team gasped before taking cover, throwing themselves down in time to dodge the swipe. The smaller fish composing the fin flew everywhere. 

Ivan pushed himself up and took off running. “Retaliate and hit hard!” 

He raced to one side of the lily pads while he kindled dragon fire. He sprayed the fire as he turned and ran the opposite direction, leaving a streak of charred Wishiwashi in the monster’s body. It cried out in anger as the deceased fish fell off. 

Galena groaned as she stood up. She concentrated on the murkiest of the water surrounding them. It bubbled up and molded itself into a wave before flying at the behemoth. The sludge crashed into its lip, causing an explosion of fish and leaving a dent in its face. But the gap soon filled with Wishiwashi like a scab covering a wound. 

Inti snapped his head toward Lady, deciding to join in. “Remember our training! I’ll use Sunny Day so you can attack!” 

“I’ll try my best!” she yelled back before rising high into the air. 

The Druddigon spread out his wings, which were then enveloped in a white glow. He looked up to see the sun’s rays dancing and blazing in response. But before he could attack, the Wishiwashi threw its fin down at him. Inti gasped before igniting his claw and throwing his arms up. His claws shredded through the fish, scattering them everywhere. A cluster of them battered him, causing him to growl and stumble back. 

Lady followed his lead and flew to the Wishiwashi’s side. She fixated on her target, her eyes glowing with determination. The sunlight above flickered, and a sunbeam flew down. It homed in on the titan like a missile of bright solar magic. The beam crashed into its temple and bore a small crater into it. The wound quickly closed, but the attack diverted its attention and made it lurch toward her.

“It’s distracted, keep attacking!” Ivan shouted before firing more dragon breaths along the monster’s body. The fire branded more black streaks across its cheek like tattoos. 

Galena followed up by whipping her head forward to launch a pulse beam. It burst into the leviathan, carving a small hole directly through it. 

The smaller Wishiwashi filled the behemoth’s injuries as it roared and turned back to the dragons. It swung its fin in an attempt to smash it into them again.

“Duck!” the Goodra hollered, hurling herself to the surface of the lily pad.

Ivan slipped under the fin before slashing violently at it. Inti instead barreled at the appendage and smashed his claws into it. His strength allowed him to tear a hole through it while still staying upright, though he seethed as the rest of the fin crashed into him. 

“Follow up! Again!” Ivan ordered. He spewed more dragon fire, his frustration stoking it into a large spray of flames. The Wishiwashi growled as it connected and burned a dark line from its lip to its eye. 

Lady soared around with a determined look in her eye. She flapped her wings toward the goliath as she flew, barraging it with silver dust and razor-sharp gusts. The powder burned into it and the wind sliced off dozens of the fish, creating holes all over its side. 

“Have a mudbath, fish face!” Galena yelled as she slammed her tail down. Another wave of sludge shot out of the pond and crashed into the Wishiwashi’s mouth. The impact washed away its entire jaw and left a gaping hole. 

The monster screamed in rage despite its lack of a mouth. It regenerated its fin and brought it down right above Galena, who leaped out of the way. She barely avoided being flattened as it pounded the platform like an enormous hammer. The Wishiwashi raised the limb again, but Inti ran up before unhinging his jaw and swiftly snapping it. He took a gaping bite out of the fin, eliciting another wail. 

The Druddigon hacked and gagged as he spat out the crushed Pokemon. “THAT’S what fish tastes like? Disgusting!”

“You might not have to do that again— look!” Ivan exclaimed as he pointed to the titan.

It writhed and flailed as it began to fall apart. The thousands of fish that composed it shed tears of pain and fear, adding to the pool below. The school bellowed in agony as it thrashed. It had finally been dealt real damage by the team’s attacks.

“You’re right! Let’s fry these fish!” Galena shouted with a grin. 

But just as the four readied to strike, the water beneath the giant glowed a brilliant blue. The light formed an enormous ring before enveloping the hulk as well. Injured Wishiwashi in the radius floated upright before darting to rejoin the school. As fast as the team had whittled it down, the monster regenerated its missing parts. It looked like it hadn’t been hurt at all. 

‘A-Aqua Ring!? No no no this is bad this is very bad!’ Ivan’s thoughts yelled in a panic. 

The leviathan swung its fin again before the group could prepare. Inti snarled before instinctively clawing through it, and Ivan dashed under it to narrowly dodge. Galena threw a protective shield up in front of her but the fin smashed into it with immense force. The barrier slammed into her torso and shattered, sending her reeling back.

“Son of a!” the Goodra cried as she stumbled toward the left side of the platform. She managed to stay upright, but with each step back she neared the water’s edge. 

“Galena! Watch out!” Ivan called. 

But the force of the attack had sent her to the very edge. The pad beneath her began to sink and she rocked on her heels as she struggled to keep her balance.

Lady gasped as she noticed the Goodra in peril. “My gal pal! I’m coming!” 

The Beautifly rapidly swooped down and landed on Galena’s chest. She latched on and tried to pull Galena,with all her might, but she continued teetering and flailing. 

Ivan shot toward the pair at a breakneck speed. He slid and grabbed Lady’s sides before pulling back and digging his heels into the platform. The Grovle managed to slow the fall but was unable to stop it, getting pulled toward the edge with them. “Nononononono—!” 

As the three were about to fall and plunge into the pond, Ivan closed his eyes to brace for the worst. But just as he was pulled by the Goodra’s weight, he felt a strong grip on his shoulders.

The Grovyle craned his neck to see Inti gritting his teeth and pulling them back with all his strength. Their momentum was stopped before he yanked them back. The four toppled back onto the lily pads and hit the surface with a wet thud. They each groaned in discomfort before rising. 

“Ah… thanks,” Galena said, panting. “Would’ve sunk like a rock.”

“Don’t thank me yet, take cover!” Inti roared.

The Wishiwashi screeched as it plunged its fin into the water, spraying the liquid everywhere and sending fish flying in all directions. The dragons shielded themselves while Lady flew above the rain. To their fortune the resulting waves flew past them, merely rocking the lily pads.

“Can we even beat this thing?” Galena asked as she wiped trickles of water from her face.

Ivan clenched his fists. “I believe in us! We can beat it eventually!”

“It’s more likely to kill us!” Inti spat. “It’s useless! Everything we do, it heals from! My wife and I aren’t ready for this! Just look at Lady!”

He turned to find she wasn’t there before looking around frantically. “W-Where’s Lady!?” 

The Beautifly rose high in the air and stared down at the Wishiwashi with contempt. The yellow patterns on her wings shone bright with her fury. “You’ve been mean to my friends! Ivy hurt you by accident, and you’re being rude! You need to learn some manners! “This is what you get— GO, SOLARBEAM!”

The sun glowed intensely like a spotlight before casting light onto the goliath, its sunbeams reaching toward it in condemnation. There was a flash of brilliant light as an enormous beam of solar energy shot from the heavens. It blasted down toward the Wishiwashi like a falling star before exploding into it. 

A deafening boom resounded as the sunbeam smited the beast, punching a massive hole straight through its body. Thousands of blackened fish flew everywhere, those still alive screeching in terror. 

The leviathan screamed and convulsed as it fell apart, its cry a cacophony of shrieks. It melted into the water and its members abandoned its cause, leaving their friends behind as they desperately fled. 

Within moments the Wishiwashi had dispersed, leaving only their fallen kin and the sound of rippling water. 

Nightscale and their recruits stood silently in awe of what had just happened. A moment ago, they were facing death— and now, the serenity of the room had returned. Allowed to blow freely, the breeze made the water grasses sway and ushered an aroma of sand and moisture. The flock of Wingull earlier flew up ahead once more, talking over the sudden quiet.

Ivan exhaled heavily, trying to stop his heart from beating its way out of his chest. “Ha…. whew. Is everyone alright?” 

“Miraculously uninjured, no thanks to you!” Inti growled before giving the Grovyle a bitter glare.

Galena gritted her teeth as she squeezed water from her antenna. “Yeah. Luckily, it seems most of the damage was emotional.”

Ivan’s face went pale. ‘Arceus, they seem mad. Really mad. I don’t even… I don’t know what to say. It was my fault, and I’ve never seen them like this, and…’

“Is everybody okay?” Lady asked, fluttering down. She looked to Ivan and then to the two disgruntled dragons, whose demeanors shifted slightly upon seeing her. 

“I’m fine, my love,” Inti sighed before stretching his back. His vertebrae crackled. “Are… are you hurt at all?”

She landed on his head before shaking hers. “Nope! I’ve never been better!”

“Still, I feel awful. I knew we shouldn’t have come here, I’m a terrible husband for letting you get into such a dire situation,” he said as his head fell. 

The Beautifly looked at the ground. “Oh no, you didn’t like your first battle?” 

“What?” Inti uttered, picking his head back up. “Surely you didn’t enjoy that near-death experience!”

“But it was amazing, I could feel my blood pumping! It was a thrill!” she replied.

Galena stood a little taller. The words molded her frown into a smirk. “You like the heat of battle, girlfriend?” 

“Oh yes! It was as though something inside me awakened!” Lady cheered. “It was primal! The power, the passion, the discovery of a deeply hidden, irresistible bloodlust! How exhilarating!’

Her husband’s jaw dropped as he shook his head. “I love you dear, but you scare me sometimes.”

“Well, whatever awakened, it sure did the trick! You got us out of quite a bind!” Ivan praised with an approving grin.

Inti scoffed. “Thank Arceus for that. I’d rather not be in such a situation again. This has been quite the adventure, but I think it’s clear this sort of thing is not for me and my darling.”

‘Wait, what!? No!’ Ivan’s thoughts screamed as he deflated. “You don’t want to stay? I… no, I guess… I guess that’s fair.” 

‘Especially because it was my screwup. I got us into that mess and didn’t know how to get us out. But did it just cost me two teammates?’

“Thank you for understanding,” the Druddigon deadpanned, crossing his arms. “Now, if you’d be so kind as to escort us out of this awful place, we can return to our lives back in Stonethrow. Where it’s safe.”

Ivan frowned and stared at the ground in shame. “I don’t know what to say. I understand, sure, I’ve got only myself to blame. I was just looking forward to having you on the team and—”

“You want to go home, honey?” Lady asked the Druddigon, her wings sagging and her eyes glistening sadly. “But it’s our first day here…”

Inti looked up at her, and his hard expression softened. “L-Lady, you want to stay? After nearly being killed?”

“Of course!” she proclaimed. “Maybe it’ll be scary sometimes, but I think everything else will be amazing! We can have a fun new life complete with our wonderful new friends!” 

“It would be a shame to see you guys go. Was looking forward to having a gal pal,” Galena added with a smile. 

Inti froze, thinking for a moment. He glanced at the Goodra, and then at Ivan. Everywhere he looked was a Pokemon staring at him with anticipation of his decision. 

He looked back up at Lady. “If this is what would make you happy, I can… try. But it will take some getting used to.”

Ivan stood up tall again. He pushed the fear out of his nostrils and mustered a smile. “I promise, no more scares like that while you’re getting situated. Rescuing isn’t all stress. Regardless, we’ll work it out together, okay?” 

“I appreciate that. This is our dream, after all. I should… be open-minded. I will learn by working with you,” the Druddigon replied with a nod. 

“And I think we’ll work together just fine,” Galena enthused. “It was awesome seeing you guys do your thing, with your Sunny Day and her Solar Beam. Nearly blew that monster out of the water.”

Ivan grinned and looked curiously at Lady. “That’s true! How did you do that?” 

“Oh, did I forget to tell you? The sun is my friend!” she squeaked.

Galena chuckled and put her hands on her hips. “The sun is your what now?” 

“There’s a reason my dear is so talented with that move in particular,” Inti chimed in before clearing his throat and looking at the Beautifly. “You should tell them the story, briefly.”

Lady made herself bigger. “Okay! It’s a wonderful story… it all started one night when I was a Silcoon. I was tucked away in a tree with my swarm, trying to sleep. But there was an awful windstorm blowing everything around! The wind was so strong it swept me out of the tree and rolled me all the way to Korakora Desert!”

“Wow,” Galena uttered, raising her brow in surprise. “I’m guessing that’s a pretty long distance. Must have been awful…”

“Well, it was scary getting lost and being unable to move on my own. But luckily I met these nice grass types who protected me! They showed me how they used the sun’s power to survive and how to channel it into your body. That’s how I learned Solarbeam! After that, I would lay out in the sun and talk to him every day. Now we’re best friends, he always comes through when I need him!” she explained, her antennae standing straight up.

“I have something to add,” Inti said before pointing at the stripes on her wings. “ Lady’s markings are unusual. The round shapes, the fused stripes— they’re reminiscent of the sun and blurring rays. We think that those patterns were influenced by her ‘friendship’ when she evolved.”

“Oh, that makes a lot of sense! I did notice they were different, but I see the solar motif now!” Ivan replied, nodding attentively.

The Grovyle suddenly felt enveloped by warmth, as though her ‘friend’ was warming his soul. 

‘This team will have such awesome and interesting Pokémon! That will be perfect for distinguishing us from the old Nightscale!’ he thought, his mind abuzz with excitement.

“That’s pretty cool. It’ll be nice having that kind of power on the team,” Galena said before gesturing to Lady. “Thanks for the save, by the way.”

“Of course! Anything for my new friends,” she replied, closing her eyes. 

Ivan nodded. “That’s what rescuing is about, as I said earlier! So long as we’re as a team, we’ll look out for each other.”

“And as long as we’re being compensated properly for this risky of work,” Inti muttered before rolling his eyes. 

“You will be!” Ivan assured him, pumping a fist. “But maybe a show of appreciation for helping salvage the mission is in order… I know! We’ll go to a hot spring! There’s one north of town, at the base of Mount Tenoroc.”

“That sounds lovely!” Lady agreed, flying a little higher.

The Druddigon smiled. “Yes. That might make my memory of this experience a bit more positive.” 

“Then it’s settled! Tomorrow, we’ll have a day of R and R!” he proclaimed. 

“Oh thank Arceus,” Galena groaned as she stretched her arms and neck. There was a loud pop from her joints too. “I need that spa day right about now.”

“We’ll need the rest if we’re going to keep up our power. We can’t blast a whole Wishiwashi school apart without a day off once in a while,” Ivan said jokingly.

“The sun will have to come with us too! He helped, we should be sure to thank him,” Lady suggested as she looked up. “Thank you, mister sun!”

The Goodra laughed and looked up too. “Thanks, man. You’re invited to my next party. Just don’t bring the rain with— whoa.”

She stared up at the blazing, warm red orb. It hung like a brilliant jewel in the evening sky, which was fading from blue to a blanket of soft orchid. The ball was framed perfectly by surrounding corals, as though they were reaching for it. Stars began to appear one by one, dotting the scene. It was like an art piece come to life. 

“The sky… it’s so pretty!” Lady said softly as she marveled at it.

Ivan looked up and smiled. “I’ll say. Now that’s an Alman sunset for you. If only I splurged and rented a camera.”

Inti looked to the Beautifly, noticing her mystified trance. He didn’t watch the scene itself, but rather its reflection in her awe-filled eyes. His own eyes softened and a smile appeared on his face as he watched her adoringly. “It is a nice sunset. I suppose something good did come from this after all… as long as my Lady’s happy, I am happy.”

“That’s sweet,” Ivan said, clutching his chest. “You must really love her.”

Inti grinned. “Of course I do. Why else would a Wildborn marry?”

At the sentiment, Lady pressed her body closer into Inti’s head to cuddle it. “Aww!”

“You’d be surprised. Civil dating can be complicated,” Ivan sighed. “Differences in visions, in lifestyles. And there are plenty of bad reasons to marry. Like for money”

“That’s so silly! We don’t even have money in the wilds!” the Beautifly squeaked.

Galena smirked teasingly at the Druddigon. “You could have married her for her body.”

“Wh-What?” he uttered before turning bright red. “O-of course not! Don’t get me wrong, Lady is gorgeous… but I never really found myself attracted to anyone that way.” 

“My Inti loves me for me! If either one of us is smitten with looks, it’d be me! Inti is so big and muscly and strong,” the Beautifly explained proudly, sinking into him more as though melting.

Her husband’s grin returned as he blushed again, softer this time. “L-Lady…”

She rose into the air before swooping and landing right on Inti’s chest. She closed her eyes and began to nuzzle him lovingly. “Hubby.”

“…Wifey,” Inti whispered, tenderly putting his claws on her back to embrace her. 

Galena shook her head in pleasant disbelief. “This is too sweet.”

Between the beautiful portrait of the evening sky and the pair’s romantic exchange, Ivan couldn’t help but beam. ‘This is nice. I hope it’s like this all the time, even when something tries to kill us. What an amazing team I have. Three friends, two lovebirds, and infinite possibilities.’

Inti broke his gaze on Lady only to look at Ivan. “Can we stay here for a few minutes before we return to town?”

Ivan pumped his fist confidently. “Of course. You guys take your time, and then we’ll head back. Without incident, I promise.”

“Thank you,” he replied before holding his wife even closer. “Perhaps this change of pace will be pleasant after all.”

“I’ll do my best to make sure it is,” the Grovyle said before looking back at the falling red sun, which was now encircled by shimmering stars.

‘If this is what that effort is rewarded with, then I’ll have no reason not to try my best. For this kind of team, it’ll be worth it. Every time.’