Episode 14: Feelings Buried Deep

The team jokingly bickered all the way to the hill leading down into the Twinight Woods. The moment they arrived, no doubt the same thoughts crossed everyone’s mind: the recent fire did a real number on the place. From the top of the hill, patches of dead trees and charred earth were like large wounds in the coat of blue leaves. Yet still, Pola led the way without stopping.

Even entering the place, there was a sorrowful wail in the air as if the forest was crying. The Twinight Woods was a world of nature, curious landmarks, and local wildlife, as Kayla had gotten used to. Now, it was a silent realm with chilly wind that couldn’t so much as rustle the leaves of the trees still standing. Gone were the chirping birds and the digging insects, replaced by still patches of roasted ground and the spiky remains of snapped tree trunks. It was almost like walking through a graveyard, except instead of the graves of the fallen, it was the graves of nature itself.

“This is unbelievable… I thought the rain would’ve fixed things. But that monster dealt more damage than I thought,” Kayla remarked, grimacing as they passed yet another clearing of dead land. “It doesn’t even make sense. There were explosions and broken trees, but nature usually recovers from stuff like that, doesn’t it?”

Pola put a palm in her elbow as she rubbed her chin, although she didn’t slow walking. “Y’know, you’re kinda right. If nature didn’t do its usual stuff, then the ferals would be working. But I don’t see shit. This place is toast.”

“It’s my fault. If only I’d been strong enough to stop Zude,” Shannon turned away. He was rolling up his cloth in his paws.

“I was right there, and I couldn’t do anything,” Kayla began to mumble bitterly. Kari’s stomach growled, making her ears perk up. “Uh… Kari?”

“S-sorry! I’m thinkin’ about pizza!” she squeaked, blushing brightly.

“Uh… huh. I’m surprised you’re hungry already,” Kayla replied softly.

“You figured out my secret. I’m always hungry!” she bounced up high.

“That’s not a secret. Everybody knows you’re a greedy noodle,” Pola snickered.

“Hmm… yeah, I guess you’re right. No point in wallowing,” Kayla grinned. “So this pizza’s really that good, huh?”

“It’s like I told you Kayla. Stuffed crust, stuffed crust! There’s extra stringy cheese in the crust itself, it’s soooooo goooooood!” Kari gurgled at the end there, tail wagging and all. “You can eat it in reverse… crust first, base second!”

“Can we even afford it?” Kayla leaned away.

“You probably can’t, but I definitely can. Depends on how much Ashe credits us,” Pola snickered again. “Don’t expect me to share!”

“It’s okay. I’ll share with you, Kayla!” Kari leaned in from behind for a hug.

“You’ve got me all curious, now,” Kayla swayed her head, accepting the hug. “Stuffed crust isn’t new to me, but I’m curious if it’s better than what I’ve had before… wa-wait a minute.”

“What’s wrong?” Shannon turned back.

Kayla had to stop dead in her tracks. She glanced all around her. There was nothing unexpected. The quiet river, the ruins of the motorways, it was all there. However, they had reached it in a fraction of the time it normally took. It wasn’t even some mysteriosity effect of the mystery dungeon – the sky was still the same as when they left, cloudy but bright.

“This isn’t a mystery dungeon!” Kayla gasped.

“Huh?” the others stopped ahead of her.

“The path is straight… and we’re not getting twisted about. Like, look at it all. The layout makes sense,” Kayla stated. “How the heck did this happen?”

The others took a moment to gaze around themselves, but they didn’t seem to get it until Shannon pointed ahead. A little ways down and across the river, Repose Town peeked through the trees. Shannon scuttled right to the river’s edge, taking note that even the current was significantly weaker than previously. The layout was totally natural and sensical, and that’s what didn’t make sense about the place.

“She’s right. We’re here already. But this place before would be…” he said, going quiet. “I can even still see the school. It just… turned into an ordinary forest. How does something like that happen?”

“Guys, please!” Pola cried. “We’re supposed to be chilling. You’re worrying about stupid stuff.”

“How is this stupid? This is really concerning!” Shannon argued.

“Twinight Woods just got easier for everyone to travel through, and you’re complaining? Get it together,” Pola rolled her eyes as walked ahead. He looked defeated at that.

“Don’t you care about anything important, ever?” Kayla asked. The others stopped too, so Pola had to wave them over.

“I care about havin’ a good time. That counts as somethin’, don’t it?” Pola argued. “Kari gets her food quicker, and we get it easy when it comes to coming and going. It’s nothing but a win-win for everyone.”

“Everyone except the ferals and Pokémon who live here. They literally lost their home,” Kayla raised her voice.

“And now you’re siding with Pokémon who wanna kill you,” the Plusle rolled her eyes. “They’re ferals, they’re gonna pop up somewhere else, no big deal.”

“Are you always like this? Can’t you take something seriously?” Shannon shouted.

With a paw on her hip, Pola sighed deeply. “Ah, I guess you weren’t there, but Kayla gets me. When stuff gets going, I do shit properly. When it doesn’t need to be, I’m chill. And right now, shit doesn’t need to be serious.”

“But these are—” Shannon swiped a paw aside.

“If I cared about every little feral and problem I came across, I’d never have time for me. And life’s too short ‘n shit for me to never care about me,” Pola stated matter-of-factly. “You guys wanna worry about the forest? Be my guest and stay here. I’m off to go have a good time.”

Kayla leaned forward to respond, but Pola wouldn’t wait for her. The Plusle marched ahead, and it almost looked like they swayed their backside to provoke her. Kayla shook her head, denying to herself she even looked there. I’m letting her get the better of me again… She’s kinda right. And even if I did try to help here, how would I even start?

Just that thought trail answered her own question, so she shook her head and jogged to catch up. The others seemed to have their own thoughts, but joined Kayla, likely giving up on their arguments as well. “So… what do you even do at this club? Total newbie here. Never gone clubbing in my life.”

“Oh right shit, you ain’t got no game to save your life… could fuck up my style, too,” the Plusle slowed to fold her arms. “Er, see I normally just hit up some good-lookin’ guy and get treated for the evening. Sometimes you get drinks, sometimes I get deeper base.”

“Pola!” Kari yelped.

“What? Want me to be even more blunt?” she snickered.

“… Deeper base, huh…” Kayla cocked her head. But you’re… younger than me…

“Don’t ask! You don’t wanna know, trust me,” Kari shook her paws.

“I know what she means. I’m just… trying to get what’s so… good about this,” Kayla swayed side to side.

“Don’t knock it ‘till you try it. Just… do what you wanna do. I like the buzz, but if you just wanted a good meal, that’s fine, too,” Pola smiled and resumed walking. “And that’s not a fat joke, either. The Pokémon here, you get all kinds who’re just there to have a good time. Some come to take a load off work, sit at the bar with a pint to soak in the chill vibes.”

“Whatever I wanna do, huh?” Kayla looked up. She jolted as Pola popped up beside her, putting an arm over her shoulder.

“It’s also the place where we get a little… unhinged. So lay it on me. Who’s your type?” she asked with a half-lidded grin.

“Okay now you’re losing me,” Kayla rolled her eyes.

“Like ‘em thick? Tall? Bulked up? I can help you out if ya need a paw,” Pola went quiet.

“Ew, no! Get off,” Kayla spat and bounced away. “I’m still a Buneary for a reason. I ain’t interested in that.”

“Aww, still playing the innocent one. You’re cute, Kayla,” Pola gave a flirty pose, waving a paw at her. Kayla growled, but that set them off giggling.

…

They didn’t stop in town and went straight for the club. Shannon couldn’t help but slow to gaze up at the ruined ship structure. It should have been a cool place he looked forward to, but after his last encounter here, it filled him with dread. As far as he knew, the team were one move away from another terrible evening.

“ID please,” the Sealeo at the entrance guarded the way, just like last time. There were two of them, and they wore black suits with ties and sunglasses. An odd choice for their species, Kayla thought. The way the clothing was stretched by their blubber didn’t look comfortable, but the ice seals didn’t complain. Not that she could tell if they were happy behind their sunglasses.

“Wow, you guys dress up fancy now!” Kari remarked as the group dug for their team badges. Kayla was concerned until she remembered hers would be on her PET now, which seemed to float beside her as if she was holding it. Kari still had to tap on the screen for her to display the ID itself, though. The real concern was when Shannon showed his, and her heart became heavy.

Kayla didn’t know what her mother’s job was, but that job made the Hatterene wise to a number of things the average Pokémon wouldn’t pick up on. One of those things was counterfeit products, and knowledge of that was passed down to Kayla in every intricate detail. Right now, Shannon was presenting a counterfeit ID, and one no better customized than those handed out to the run-of-the-mill thug. She was surprised when the Sealeo accepted it, and the group wandered into the club.

Just let it go. Let’s just make sure Pola has a good time, she told herself, sighing as she followed everyone.

Inside was a lot noisier than she was expecting. Even with one ear rolled down, between the conversations in every corner and the live ballad being sung on stage, her head was ringing. Or perhaps she was just tired. Whichever it was, she had to blink a couple times to keep in focus.

“You guys okay?” she called out, glancing at the others.

“Ya huh. Why wouldn’t we be?” Kari replied. She spoke a lot quieter and could still be heard, somehow.
“We walked in on a show. No wonder this place is so busy, even though it’s early. Just great,” Pola complained. “Look at the bar! I’ll never get a drink at this rate.”

Kayla took one glance and felt claustrophobic. It wasn’t a line, it was a crowd. Pokémon singing along to the current song and those sat down trying to mind their own business merged into one, and all the annoyances caused by the differing species, too. The smaller Pokémon didn’t stand a chance, yet they gathered around, hopping over the backs or squirming between the legs of their bulkier opponents. If Kayla avoided this rush at RSE, avoiding it here was a must. If she even went near, she’d essentially have to battle to get out.

“Pola!” Kari whined, getting everyone’s attention. “Pizza!”

“Yeah, I guess we’ll eat first,” the Plusle shrugged. “And you look like you’re gonna turn inside out at this noise, too.”

“Please,” Kayla shivered. So you get that, at least…

Upstairs was far quieter. Kari immediately snaked her way toward the kiosk with the cheesiest aroma, which earnt a giggle, but it wasn’t enough to distract from the fact that this didn’t help Kayla’s issue. Since she set foot into this club, her head felt strange, clouded, as if something was passing through her thoughts. It left her groggy enough to sleep, and staying awake took her focus further and further away.

This is worse than I thought… she admitted to herself as she slumped a bit. She wanted to soothe her forehead with her paw, but it wouldn’t move. At the same time, her chest and stomach were churning. She wasn’t going to be sick, but all sorts of discomforting feelings were making themselves clear to her. It was agonizing, not being able to soothe herself at all. What the heck is wrong with me? Is it really the noise?

“Kayla!” Shannon’s cry made her gasp. The Pachirisu was right in front of her, worry all over his face. “Are you okay?”

“A-ah… I… not really. I dunno what’s wrong,” she shut her eyes and shook her head. “Being here just… my heart and my head is… I don’t think I like it.”

“Urf… want to get some fresh air? Kari said she’d get you food, but,” Shannon proposed. Kayla had to look for the Furret, spotting them quickly at the far end of the floor. Her and Pola looked like they were chatting happily as Kari bounced about.

“I forget you’ve been here before. You know your way around, I hope,” Kayla cocked her head.

“I do. Er, they’ll find us, I’m sure,” Shannon nodded and led the way. He walked slowly thankfully, so she was able to take her time.

At the top of the ship was only as quiet as a busy club was allowed to be. They could still feel the rumble of the music from the floors below, while muffled chatter was constant background noise. Even so, the fresh air helped as the Kayla could lean on the lower handrail, looking out over the scenery. The sunset signalled the calming of the nearby Repose Town, as a few of its night lights turned on.

Actually, scratch that thought. This wasn’t helping at all. She almost flopped right over the handrail if she didn’t blink herself back into focus. Her groan got Shannon’s attention at least, and he caught her from behind.

“What’s wrong? You’re not okay,” he said.

“S-sorry. This is… new to me. I-I dunno what’s wrong. I only started feeling like this when I came here,” she admitted. “My head and my stomach… even my chest is…”

He quieted her by laying a paw on her head. He was warm, and that soft touch felt nice against the chilly wind. “You don’t have a fever or anything… um, I don’t mean to imply anything, but are you sure you’re not just hungry?”

“I would definitely know if I was hungry,” she replied, relaxing a bit. He seemed surprised, yet he adapted, essentially carrying her.

“I just ask… we haven’t eaten since breakfast, and you did fight Pola and Kari, too. I could do with a bite, I can only imagine you,” he reasoned. Her eyes opened wide.

“Right, the sun’s setting. Has it been that long?” she asked. He didn’t reply. “I just… I… ah, could you do me a weird favour?”

“A weird… I can try?” he cocked his head.

Can’t believe I’m about to ask the guy with the fake ID for this… she groaned at her thoughts. “I can’t move my hands. Just… rub my head. That’s all.”

She felt him tense up for a moment, and his silence was a clear answer. She sighed at that, knowing it was too much to ask from who was essentially a total stranger. Yet, after a moment or two, he repositioned to sit her down, laying that warm paw of his on her head again. Even odder, his delicacy was familiar, like the touch of a mother. He was light, slow, and relaxing.

But Beaurette had claws.

That was all. The discomfort of whatever clouded her head was soothed by his careful rubbing, and she loosened up with a sigh, rolling both ears against her head. She shut her eyes, too. The only thing bothering her now were the constantly repeating thoughts. He was just helping her do what her hands couldn’t do; nothing more, nothing less.

“Anything else?” he seemed to guess when she was relieved, letting her sit up. She opened her eyes and blinked for a moment. She was still nervous, but that was all. The thoughts kept going, her chest heavy with denial. With the rest of her relaxed though, her stomach rumbled, but he didn’t seem to notice that.

“You… huh. You didn’t have a problem with that?” she turned to him.

“You can’t use your hands. If you were just having a little moment, it makes sense,” he explained. “When I think about it, I can’t imagine it. If you’re itchy, or your head’s uncomfortable, or your tail gets caught on something… you can’t deal with a lot of things. Even simple stuff like that must get really uncomfortable.”

Kayla’s eyes were wide. “You know, this is the most I’ve ever heard you talk.”

He didn’t reply, nor did his face change, plain with concern.

“You think a lot, if you figured that out. Most Pokémon wouldn’t begin to realise how awkward it is not having hands. So I appreciate it… although, my tail isn’t long enough to get caught on stuff,” she smiled. For some reason, he turned away to the floor. It didn’t look like embarrassment, nor shame. She unrolled an ear to try and listen for any mumbles, but he revealed nothing. Her read on him was lost. “I’m a bit confused.”

“Hm?” he looked back up at her.

“Look, I’m not going to say anything… but, your ID,” she began. At last, he ever so slightly gripped his clothing. “If this place’s security wasn’t so lax, there’s only so far it’d get you.”

“If you know, why play along? Why trust me to touch you?” he turned to the floor again.

“’Cos if you did try anything, I’d kick you off this boat. To be direct for a moment,” she tried to shrug. “I probably shouldn’t admit this either, but I’m finding it hard to get a read on you. Why are you here, Shannon?”

He didn’t reply, nor did he face her.

“Why are you so desperate to get stronger with Visionary Magic?” she asked. She made sure not to have any aggression in her tone, hoping it would help him to relax. Instead, the young man seemed to tense up even more, and his eyes narrowed.

“You let me into your team, only to challenge me on this now… you don’t trust me anymore, do you?” he responded bitterly.

“It doesn’t actually matter to me. I’m just curious. Since coming to RSE, you’re the one I know the least about,” she sighed as she leaned over the handrail again. He eventually joined her with a sigh of his own.

“I… I’m sorry, but I can’t say. You just have to trust me. I can promise you I don’t have bad intentions. It’s just best if our goals remain separate,” he answered. He had a look of determination at least. “What about you? What’s your goal?”

“Live a cool life,” she answered quickly, twisting to lean her back on the handrail. He gave her a tired, half-lidded look. “No, I’m serious. I just want to do cool things. Have cool experiences, meet cool Pokémon. I don’t have a dream job in mind or any of that.”

He was definitely perplexed by the thought. “Nothing you want to achieve?”

“Nope. If I end up achieving something cool, then, well, cool,” she grinned. There was a pause, and he leaned in closer.

“You have the power to make your dreams come true. Aren’t you worried about that?” he asked. She giggled as she shifted away a bit, going back to looking out over the scenery. “All that stuff with Mathildaath… what about coming here? To the Waking Wake club.”

“Oog… I guess that’s what’s making me nervous,” she swayed her head. “I said to Mum I’d try a night out some time, but I’m getting Butterfree just being here. This is not my thing.”

“I thought you were just trying to keep Pola happy,” he joined her in leaning on the handrail.

“Well… I guess that’s part of it. I kinda do wanna make sure she has a good time. She’s a rowdy one, but she did help me out a ton. And I hate being wrong, but she was kinda right about earlier, in the forest. Please don’t tell her I said that.”

“Neither of us would hear the end of it,” he rolled his eyes.

“Here I just… I guess I just don’t get it? I don’t have any interest in talking to boys. I get that’s ironic since I’m talking to you right now, but y’know what I mean. Talking to boys who just want me to be a Lopunny,” Kayla could feel her stomach starting to churn again, so she stopped swaying. “Well, maybe it’s not that. I dunno what it is. The thought of doing things with other Pokémon just doesn’t interest me. I wanna spend my life doing things my way, having all kinds of cool experiences. Dating, getting chatted up by guys, drinking, all that nightlife stuff… I really don’t want to do it.”

“I think I understand. I do have to say there’s more to clubbing than that stuff, but I get it,” Shannon nodded. “Not that I’d even let you drink. You’re just below Isnomia’s legal age, after all.”

“And yet still, Pola…” Kayla had an awkward grin. “Hey readers, always check official sources to find out the legal drinking age, alright?”

“I’m just glad we didn’t run into that Maushold again. Him or his weird cronies,” Shannon grumbled.

Kayla gave him a half-lidded smirk. “You know, at all this, I didn’t take you for a clubber, either.”

“Oh, I’m not. I was on a journey searching for a Visionary, and got a tip that one was a regular here. It turned out to be Pola, and now I’m here,” he explained. She faced him in hopes he’d slip up and tell more, but he went totally silent. He didn’t seem nearly as distant or distressed as minutes ago, so there was progress, even if it was tiny.

“But you don’t seem to mind the atmosphere. I can tell that much,” Kayla smiled. “You barely even flinch when Pola gets all flirty with you. When I really think about it, it must be awkward being the only guy in a team of girls.”

“Ah, not at all. Well no, I can’t lie. I’m wary of overstepping my welcome here. If I ever say or do anything that makes you girls uncomfortable, please shoot me down,” he scratched the back of his head.

“You’ve been more than okay so far. If anything, I wish you’d talk more often. You seem cool enough,” she said with a snicker.

Just then, Pola leapt onto Shannon from behind, wrapping her paws and feet around his front. Her paws went over his eyes, making him stumble. “Look at you two gettin’ all chatty up here. Why wasn’t I invited?”

“Uhh… hi,” Shannon replied.

“Guess who,” Pola sung. He didn’t reply. “Not gonna let go until you say.”

“Hee hee hee, hiya again,” Kari giggled. “You okay? Didn’t expect to find you two all the way out here. We were looking everywhere!”

“Sorry. I wasn’t feeling too good, so Shannon took me to get some fresh air,” Kayla explained.

“Oh? I see how it is,” Pola grew smugger.

Kayla groaned and rolled her eyes. “Please. It’s hardly anything.”

“So you like ‘em thick and chonky, huh?” she continued to sing.

“What? No, I- get off!” the Pachirisu finally started to shake her.

“Na-uh-uh, you still haven’t guessed who yet!” she held on tight.

“Pola, please- I can’t see!”

“Aww, hee hee hee! Have some fun, lemme be your eyes for you!”

“No, we’re on the edge of- c’mon, cut it out! Please!”

“Calm down silly, I promise I won’t lead you off!” she laughed, and then leaned in right close to his face to whisper into his ear. “Trust me. It’ll be alright.”

Kayla had stumbled out of the way to let them have their playful banter, but that whisper seemed to ignite something in the Pachirisu, and Kayla had only an instant to prepare. She could have sworn she heard his heart beat aloud. A thump or two alongside a hideously sharp inhale.

The next second, Shannon erupted. He shrieked so loud his cry sounded like it echoed across town, and his roar carried on for longer than felt natural. The whole time, he thrashed with tremendous force, throwing Pola off his back so hard that the others cringed as she hit the metal handrails and sunk to the floor. He didn’t stop either, he twisted so fast his tail whipped through the air, and drew something from within at the same time.

“Wait, Shannon!” Kayla took a second to register what had just happened, and another moment to think straight.

Shannon was glaring down at Pola like a feral, firmly grasping a clean, sharp knife in his paw. His teeth were being grit and his eyes were wide and focused. Not just his face, but his whole form basked in livid madness. No surprise then that Pola had gone dead silent, staring back with a face white with fright. She hadn’t moved from where he threw her down, as if shock and fear of what she was looking at had turned her into a statue.

“Don’t,” Kayla managed to say just as sternly as she needed to. No one else said anything, letting the Pachirisu’s aggressive huffs keep them on edge. His eyes darted over to Kayla, and then Pola, and he finally seemed to get what was happening. He erupted again, this time with a silent gasp and a recoil so hard he dropped his weapon. Not a second later and he scrambled to pick it back up, backing off from the girls.

No one said anything else. They couldn’t take their eyes off him, and he couldn’t stop glancing at each of them, as much as he clearly tried to avoid eye contact. He was quick to hide the knife back in his tail, but now he was stuck with a miserable stance marred by nervous gestures.

“Thaaaat wasn’t normal,” Kari commented at last. Kayla hadn’t noticed, but even she looked like she was about to break into Fury Swipes.

“It wasn’t. But if it’s going to be that violent, I think it’s best you tell me what’s up after all,” Kayla ordered. “Pola, are you okay?”

The Plusle shook her head and sat up. “Ye… yeah. Just… taken off-guard a bit. Won’t happen again.”

He struggled to look at her, clenching his paws into fists. “I’m sorry.”

…

I don’t know when it started, but things have been this way for as long as I can remember. This world of Isnomia… its Pokémon, its technology, even its way of life… all of it is new to me. I have only been here for a few months. No matter how long I live here, it all feels so foreign.

I come from the human world.

I was a Pachirisu back then, and I’m still a Pachirisu now. There’s nothing unusual about that. But my family… my family is irrevocably dysfunctional. I doubt this is going to sound believable to you, but my Mother is a Pachirisu, while my Father is a Ditto. We were, and technically still are, owned by a type of human known as a Pokémon trainer.

I don’t know why, but my parents… they created a herd. More than a herd. Almost daily, they would be going at it… making eggs. They said it was the intent of our trainer, but all that seemed to happen is me and my brothers and sisters getting left behind in storage. They said they wouldn’t stop until one egg created a pink Pachirisu. I don’t know if Pachirisu can be pink, but it never happened.

We didn’t stay with the trainer forever. There was some sort of rebellion. I don’t remember fully – it’s been blocked from my memory, and it hurts to try and recall it. But we ran from our trainer. Ran, very far away, and began to live amongst the other wild Pokémon. It was hard since our family was massive, too big for any one location, and way bigger than any Pachirisu’s family should’ve been. We tried to settle in parks, caves, forests, but each time, we didn’t fit. We were driven out but humans who saw us as an infestation, or local ferals. So our family was always on the move, treated as outcasts no matter where we went.

I guess that was the kicker…

All of it… the constant breeding, the neglect from the wild Pokémon, the needs of my brothers and sisters. Every day was a struggle until he just… lost it. My Father, the Ditto… he became an Extraordinary Pokémon. A Ditto who can’t transform into another Pokémon. Instead, he can only turn into sharp objects. I think he wanted to die, to end it all. There were definitely some nights with arguments that turned to violence.

But Ditto turns into the blade he wants to stab himself with, then he can’t stab himself, can he?
So his rage turned into mindless violence. Anything to end the constant suffering. He began to kill us. My mother, my brothers and sisters. All of them, one by one, stabbed, cut, and thrown aside.

My mother attempted to protect me. She took a stab to the chest, and then the others came in, either to her aid, or to attack that Ditto. One by one, I wound up buried under a pile of bodies, and almost drowned in their blood. I barely got out when I thought I was alone, but when I did, he stabbed me in the back.

“Trust me. It’ll be alright.”

Those were his words. A whisper, cold as ice, as he pushed that knife deeper and deeper.

…

The team were gathered around a table on the second floor of the Waking Wake, the dining hall with the many kiosks and eateries. It was still relatively quiet here despite another performance had begun below, but that meant there were no eavesdroppers. They’d gotten two pizzas, but no one had started so as to listen to Shannon’s story.

By now, he was trembling hard. His paws were curled and he was sweating quite hard. He’d been curling up his cloth in his paws again, and then suddenly took it off. His chest fur wasn’t as dense as the rest of his body, nor as dense as a normal Pachirisu’s should have been, and was even slightly grey. He carefully split his fur around his chest, revealing a deep scar that ran from almost his neck down past his belly.

“It will never heal. And it always hurts,” he shuddered. “If it’s not the wound itself, it’s those horrible memories. I survived, only to live with this pain. I don’t know how I survived, but I did. So I’ll deliver it back. I’m going to give that Ditto the pain I feel. If it’s the last thing I do, I’m going to kill him. I’ll stab him a thousand times over, one for every last member of my family he killed.”

No one replied. Their bitter glances said it all. To Kayla’s surprise, Shannon was finally readable – and his conviction was undeniable. The way he said those words, the way he casually slipped his cloth back on, his eyes when he looked back at her. He may have been a Pachirisu, cute in the eyes of many, but right now, he had the eyes of someone dead set on committing murder. Everything about him was certain to his words.

Pola started growling, and then tore a slice off one of the pizzas. She stuffed the whole thing in her mouth at once, crust and all, and tried to do the same with a second slice. Of course she wound up choking, to which Kari slipped behind to pat her back.

“And the knife?” Kayla asked.

Shannon scanned the area for a minute, confirming no one was watching. Then he curled his tail over the table, letting him dig into it to pull out the weapon. It was actually a hooked claw, but it appeared to have been fashioned into a weapon with a short handle and a proper blade. “It’s called a Razor Claw. If you aim well with it, it can pierce anything. If I can strike Father while he’s in his Ditto form, it’ll kill him for sure. But first—”

“You need to be strong enough to fight him, right? That’s why you wanted Visionary Magic,” Pola snapped, catching her breath. She had her fists on the table, and shivered as she refrained from slamming them. “Why the fuck did you keep this a secret? No wonder you’re so angry.”

“It’s not my place to interrupt your goals. All I want is to get stronger, and then be out of your lives,” he stated, slipping his knife back into his tail.

“And despite that, we’re fucking around here at a nightclub. All this time I’ve been putting off your training when it was that important?” Pola growled. Shannon didn’t reply. “You really should’ve said something. But fine. We’ll have it your way. Some fucked up rapist Ditto is on the loose, you want to kill him, so you came to me. When we get a moment, we’re starting this. Your training. And I hope you’re ready, ‘cos I do my shit properly.”

Shannon sighed and turned away. “It’s appreciated. And, I guess it goes without saying at this point, but please don’t jump me from behind again. That’s exactly what he did when I tried to escape.”

“Um, excuse me, but…” Kari spoke up. Everyone was quiet for her. “I was just, er… thinking… A pink Pachirisu is a shiny, right?”

“A shiny?” Shannon asked with a furrowed brow.

“Yeah. A shiny Pokémon is born super rarely, but they have different colour fur and stuff to normal Pokémon. They’re the same as normal Pokémon, it’s just their colour. They don’t get mistaken for Extraordinary Pokémon because shiny Pokémon of the same species always have the same colour. As in, a shiny Pachirisu would always be pink, right?”

I’m surprised she knows that. His trainer was trying to breed his family for a shiny Pachirisu, Kayla’s eyes narrowed at the thought. He knows his goal is as dark as can be, and yet, it’s fully justified. Whether he was going to kill or not, that Ditto who can turn into sharp objects needs to be dealt with. As a team leader, what’s the right play here?

There was silence. Kayla had her back to the group, although both ears were unrolled so she could hear them clearly.

Mathildaath. The Dreamers causing the disturbances. Netherworld. That Maushold guy. And now, the Ditto who can turn into sharp objects… Kayla shut her eyes briefly. When she opened them, nothing had changed. It was still the jovial atmosphere of a nightclub. “Well, that’s just how it is.”

“Kayla?” Kari said. She spun around and grinned at the group.

“You know, I forgot to mention a difficulty with pizza,” Kayla said as she hopped up to a seat. “Without hands, there’s no way I can really eat it. Unless one of you feeds me.”

“Fe-feeds you?” Kari squeaked. “R-right. It makes sense, but are you okay with one of us…?”

“You’re embarrassing! Shannon just poured his heart out, and all you can think about is food?” Pola snapped.

“We just set our plan for tomorrow, didn’t we?” Kayla put on a smug look. “Until then, we’re at a nightclub. And the whole world’s gonna keep moving. You got serious about something, so I got what I wanted.”

“Ah, what?” Pola gasped.

“Until then, let’s not waste this good, stuffed crust thing, right?” she smiled at her team.

“Kayla’s right!” Kari threw her arms up. “We’re here to have a good time, so what’s some good food after a little mishap?”

“Are you trying to show me up?” Pola slumped.

“Only if you view it that way,” Kayla shut her eyes.

“Nobody got hurt, either. So c’mon, let’s party!” Kari came between them. “Kayla, open wiiiide!”