DECAY — SEGMENT 02

Chapter 34.2

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Decay

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The sun shone brightly on Avery. The wind had picked up from yesterday and the rumbles of thunder certainly sounded ever so slightly more pronounced.

 

Jolvia and Rikzyod stood in the camp beside him. The Nidorina was doing some kind of early morning calisthenics, stretches, cardio, a routine she had. Rikzyod meanwhile took to popping every individual joint on his body.

 

Argus and Heynia were off to the side, preparing some rope and planks for hauling lumber.

 

Manikas, of course, had gone ahead up north to the pine trees to mark out the first ones to cut down.

 

And all the while…still neither head or hair of Vizon nor Diquarni could be found.

 

‘…Maybe the two of them had waged an all-night-long war between each other about who the bad guy was once and for all.’

 

Avery hoped they weren’t dead or anything, at least. The lack of a dream was…well, now that he thought about it, he hadn’t had one of those in a while. It was a little refreshing not to be talked in the ear by Olistia, though…the jury was still out on Arceus himself. Avery hadn’t gotten to talk to him directly much, but…from what he saw Arceus seemed pleasant, if sad.

 

“Good morning, Rik. Morning, Jolvia. Argus, Heyna…” Avery took a deep breath through his nose, and let it out. The salty air was a refreshing change to the…canal air he usually got in his room. Invigorating, even!

 

“Good-” Jolvia bent down and touched her toes. “Morning, Avery-” She pasued to repeat the motion. “-Enjoying the ocean air?”

 

“Ahhh, what a scent!” Rikzyod called, taking in a deep breath. “I must say, this is proving a satisfying mission! The change of scenery, the threat of starvation, it is exciting in its own right, hm?”

 

“Oh, now, no need for that today, Rikzyod.” Jolvia chuckled with a roll of her eyes. She hooked one arm under the other, crossing the arms across her chest and turning her body. “There’s plenty of food both from the ship’s supply and even here on the island itself. The Peacekeeper only needs so many repairs. Heck, if we really give it our all we could be out of here by sundown.”

 

“Augh…then I will have to find a remote island to starve on by myself.” Rikzyod shrugged. “I have grown quite accustomed to this camping, this ‘roughing it’. I almost feel as though all my time in cities has, in some way, made be SOFT.”

 

“You? Soft, rrock man?” Argus laughed next to him. “Surre camping in a jungle or a forrest is rrough…but you strrike me as the type to sleep in a puddle in that ol’ urrine trrough X-Eye Distrrict, and THAT is rreal surrvival!”

 

“Still harrdly anything to sleeping in the Illaminian Distrrict on NAM convention night, hm?” Heynia cooed with a morbid laugh. Argus laughed with a shudder. It didn’t sound malicious…more experienced.

 

It was idle chatter, joking. In some ways, this was a sort of vacation, even with the storm of the Beast looming in the distance.

 

Manikas still wasn’t back, so it only made sense to wait for him for now.

 

“Well…Getting out of here by sundown would be nice in theory,” Avery said, giving himself a bit of a simpler stretch than Jolvia’s routine, simply raising his arms over his head and arching his back. “But I have a feeling that putting all of us on a boat together and trying to take that thing down…wouldn’t go well. There’s still a lot of tensions. Between us,”

 

He pointed to himself and Jolvia, to which the Nidorina raised her eyebrows…but nodded.

 

“…and between us,” Avery gestured to himself, Heynia and Argus. “…But, uh…those are…small peanuts compared to…”

 

Avery gestured vaguely into the forest.

 

“I think if we were to get out of here by sundown, we could christen The Peacekeeper as The Powderkeg.”

 

“Aww, what? Could we rreally not put our differrences aside forr a common good and make it in the end?” Argus snickered, setting a long pallet aside and picking up more crates to make another. “I thought that is what Arrceali guildies always do. In those perriodicals the Souljrreini Prrinting Company loves to churrn out?”

 

“Oh well, if this is to be anything like the perriodicals then I would rrequest that I get to make the corrny speech at the end and encourage all the good little Arrcean boys and girrls keep attending theirr Conduicy brrainwash.” Heynia giggled to herself, pushing Argus away as though to hush him up.

 

“Oi, Fottupebe, knock it off.” Jolvia hissed, which thankfully did make the two ease up, even if the couple giggled to one another. Jolvia actually showed she had some measure of authority over the thieves guild team, as their Intelligence Officer.

 

Jolvia sighed, looking back to Avery.

 

“Worst case scenario, we hog-tie Vizon, beat the Yahneri Beast, secure the pearl, go home, and sort the rest out in the…relative safety of Arceliaze.” Jolvia huffed, rolling and stretching her shoulders. “I’m sorry that tensions have boiled over so much…and I know I’m mostly to blame for that. I feel…or at least hope the boy will come around for you, Avery, but we don’t have too much time to spend on reconciling hurt feelings with Yahneri port and the pearl on the line.”

 

“Yes, about that…” Heynia piped up, making Jolvia look back at her. “…who exactly is it that you securring the pearl forr? You rrealize we arre looking to get it to Xamao.”

 

“I’m quite aware of his fool’s errand, yes.” Jolvia said, turning her head away from Heynia.

 

“And yet I rrecall you doing a bit of…shall I be generrous? Frriendly firre back on the ship.” Heynia said, frowning. “Xamao said you were helping us.”

 

“Of course he thinks so, that’s the point.” Jolvia grunted. “I’m securing the Water Pearl for Olistia. Then everybody loses. And I expect you both to help.”

 

“Diquarrni won’t like that.” Argus said, shaking his head. “Heck, I do not rreally like that. Xamao and Janus-“

 

“The less I hear about those renegades, the better.” Jolvia said, shooting a look back to the Fottupebe pair. “As for Diquarni…she’ll come crawling back when she gets hungry or whatever.”

 

Argus snorted at that.

 

“This is why I’m concerned about you and I, Team Fottupebe.” Avery raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms. “I’ve…already experienced once what happens at the end of a mission when two parts of a team want separate outcomes. And while you’ve been friendly since we got to the island…You’ll forgive me if I find it hard to trust you.”

 

“Oh good! I was feeling like such a jerrk, thinking it was only we who distrrusted you!” Argus laughed, patting Heynia on the back.

 

‘My tensions with Jolvia are…relatively low, compared to everyone else. Whatever happens after this I don’t want her to leave the team. She’s a friend of mine, and…I want to see the end of that book series with her. But she’ll have no reason to stick around after this – if she did, with Vizon being the way he was, she might be executed for treason. Unlike Janus, she isn’t a darling of the guild. She doesn’t have a Nivanee to speak up for her.

 

At the end of the day she, like everyone else, has strong convictions of what she wants from the Pearls.

 

…And then there’s Vizon and Diquarni.’

 

The Mandibuzz raised her eyebrows at Jolvia

 

“And what makes you think we won’t tell Xamao all this?” Heynia asked.

 

“Tell.” Jolvia dared. “It won’t make a difference once the Water Pearl’s sealed in an Arceali vault. We’ll lock down the Thunder Pearl and the Fire Pearl can stay where it is, because it’s as worthless as a shiny bauble without the other two.”

 

“But-“

 

“There’s no buts about this, Fottupebe.” Jolvia said. “I respect Xamao and Janus for their merits as Santurini Guild members but these extremist methods are far and beyond too dangerous to employ and too compromising to the organization. It’s escalation, not a solution.”

 

“Xamao is morre a direct action Poke’mon than one to mill about in moving money and politics.” Argus grumbled.

 

“Well, I apologize that the everything is not so storybook.” Jolvia said back. “Your assistance in securing the Water Pearl for Olistia will be noted by the Santurini Guildmaster, I’m sure.”

 

A tense silence followed. Argus and Jolvia stared at one another as the hush settled on the group.

 

Then, as though to save the group from tension, there was a rustle in the bushes…something big was approaching. The captain? Avery was snapped out of his thoughts by the noise, jolting to attention.

 

Every turned to the rustling noise, staring curiously.

 

There, beyond the bushes, they could see a large, dark figure. A haze of smoke billowed around its head.

 

He was huffing and puffing.

 

There, Manikas was emerging from the foliage, just behind one of the trees. But…something was off…

 

His lip was turned up into a snarl.

 

His one good eye was wide and blazing with anger, teeth bared, smoke PUFFING from his nostrils.

 

He put a hand to the palm tree in from of him, PUSHING it aside with a deafening CRACK! Splintered the base of the tree, knocking it over with a crash into the underbrush as he STOMPED into the camp.

 

“A’IGHT.” The Pangoro roared, the leaves SHAKING. “WHO DID IT?! WHICH ONE OF YOU FLATFOOTS DID IT?!”

 

Avery jolted, falling flat on his rear from the power of Manikas’s voice. Avery’s mouth opened to speak, but nothing came out.

 

‘What on earth is he talking about?? Who did what?’

 

Even Jolvia bristled, her nose scrunching in surprise as she took a step back. Rikzyod got to attention, watching and listening with interest.

 

“What is the matterr, Misterr Captain? Did you lose the hatchets?” Argus chuckled, earning himself a hushing push from an annoyed Heynia.

 

“Hatchets?! HATCHETS?!” Manikas bellowed. “Forget the hatchets! Burn the hatchets for all the good they’ll do! Where’s the BLOODY FOREST GONE?!”

 

“Th…what?!” Jolvia asked in disbelief.

 

Manikas swung an arm back, grabbing a fern and TEARING it from the ground from its roots and throwing it aside, gesturing harshly at the path northward.

 

“The oaks! All the good oaks!!” Manikas bellowed. “Gone! Chopped away! Stumps and all!! WHERE’S ME OAKS, CONFOUND YOU POKE’MON!!!”

 

Avery’s jaw dropped.

 

‘What the-?!’

 

Indeed, Avery could see it: just a short distance from camp where once there might have been forests of seaworthy oak trees now he could only see…a large, large field of uneven dirt and potholes, pine nettles and small branches scattered here and there.

 

An entire chunk of the forest, all the oak trees on the small island…

 

gone.

 

Jolvia and Rikzyod stepped up beside the captain, the Nidorina gasping at the sight. Seeing all that was taken in naught but a night.

 

“Oh Arceus alive, what is happening…” Jolvia said, rubbing her temples, a befuddled and exasperated look on her face. This mission was clearly taking a greater mental toll on the woman than Avery had ever seen before.

 

“Swear on the drowned o’ the sea when I find out which dead man has hindered me revenge on the beast I will personally KEELHAUL them!!” Manikas spat!

 

“C…Cap’n, none of us would have had a reason to do that-!” The Plusle stammered. “We all want The Peacekeeper repaired, same as you-! What-“

 

‘…no way. There was no way that-‘

 

“I…did hear some…strange sounds as I was going to sleep last night-“

 

Manikas swung and LIFTED Avery at once, rattling and shaking the tiny Plusle, one part furious, one part desperate. Avery yelped, kicking weakly in the air as he suddenly found himself airbound.

 

“SPEAK! SPEAK, BOY!! WHAT SOUNDS???!!” Manikas shouted, heaving heavy breaths, looking back northward.

 

“Just…cracking and shuffling sounds off in the distance!” Avery babbled, head flailing as he was shaken, making him dizzy. “I-If I’m going to be honest Cap’n I thought it was Argus snoring-“

 

“Cracking!! Shuffling!! In the dead o’ night!!!” Manikas DROPPED Avery onto the ground, a hand on his forehead. He looked as though he might pass out. “All in one night! One BLOODY night and I’m upended! What speed! What VIGOR with which I am so thoroughly PLAYED FOR A FOOL.”

 

With one more ROAR Manikas tore through the underbrush, stomping over the dirt field that used to be the pine forest. Jolvia helped Avery back up, following after the Pangoro and looking around. Rikzyod and Argus looked awed, while Heynia looked more like an embarrassed mother.

 

“If this does not have Diquarrni wrritten all over it…” The Mandibuzz sighed.

 

“Oho, no, I know the stupid blue one’s handiwork.” Rikzyod chuckled, looking around the expanse of upended soil. “The tenacity and strength to do such idiotic things…it brings a tear to my eye, hm?”

 

No matter how much they looked, in every direction was nothing…not one log was left, nothing that could be used to fix the Peacekeeper.

 

Jolvia looked back at Avery, looking pretty exhausted for the morning having just started.

 

“…If I’m going to be honest,” Avery said dryly, “I’m not entirely sure that Diquarni and Vizon aren’t twins…seperated at birth by twenty-odd years.”

 

The Plusle looked over to Jolvia, giving her a nod as thanks for helping him up.

 

“Here I was hoping they’d come find us when they were ready…” He sighed. “…not exactly the method I was thinking they’d take.”

 

“I suppose now…” Jolvia sighed, her ears folding behind her head. “…we’ll have to find them instead…”

 

Manikas was shaking, fists balled.

 

“VIZON!!!” The Captain bellowed, voice echoing over the trees as he ran off in a rampage, hollering and ranting and cussing the whole while as he vanished into the thicket.

 

Rikzyod folded his arms with a smile.

 

“Aha, I like the initiative!” The Geodude said, glancing back at Avery. “Perhaps I go another way?”

 

“Yes…that sounds like a good idea.” Jolvia sighed, nodding to Argus and Heynia. “Let’s all split up, try to track down the other two…”

 

“And I suppose hope they werre just being go-getters and cutting the trrees forr us…” Heynia sighed, rubbing her forehead. “…it is a nice thought to hold onto, better than them both just being this monumentally stupid…”

 

Jolvia shook her head, patting Avery on the back.

 

“Alright…I’m going to head up north. Rikzyod can take southside. Argus, you mind going out west and Heynia covers South West?” Jolvia nodded to the Plusle. “Avery, you can try the east. If we don’t find anything, we’ll all travel counterclockwise around the beach until we reach the opposite of where we started. Someone has to find them by then…”

 

“Sounds like a plan,” Avery said with a little nod. “And we can count on the captain to clean up any little spaces that we might be leaving.”

 

With a firm nod to one another they all split up right there, after a quick bite of biscuits from the ship.

 

Splitting from the others as they moved into the brush of Palm Trees, Avery stepped over the low brush to the east of the ruined oak forest, into the dark thicket of the jungle. The canopy here was absolute. The sun was totally blotted out on this side of the jungle, with the underbrush thick.

 

Avery could still hear the ocean…faintly in the distance…the rumble of the beast’s thunderstorm even more distantly…but the wind…

 

…the wind could not pierce through the wall of trees that loomed over the Plusle.

 

As he ventured deeper…deeper in…the light of the clearing were they had all split up grew fainter…

 

…fainter…

 

until it vanished…leaving Avery in the dark.

 

The Plusle gulped, electricity flowing through his hands, giving a faint blue light.

 

All was still.

 

All was quiet.

 

Shadows bounds lightly in the dim blue glow of Avery’s hands.

 

Snap

 

Avery twisted in place, ears perked, looking for the sound. His fists sparked.

 

He didn’t know why he was so on guard – nothing on this island scared him as much as some of the beasts he’d faced off against before did.

 

But still – it was an eerie feeling…almost reminiscent of the marsh.

 

“…hello…?” Avery called.

 

…

 

nothing…all was silent again.

 

The light of his sparks cut through the darkness, casting yet more eerily long shadows from the trunks that surrounded him…

 

The trees…crowded Avery.

 

His own footsteps were quiet, almost silent.

 

Rustle

 

Once again Avery whirled around.

 

He was being watched, he knew that. And from the plan Jolvia laid out, it wouldn’t be someone else from the search party. Either this island wasn’t uninhabiated…or he was being stalked.

 

“If you’re done watching from afar, the captain would like to know what you did with all the oak trees.”

 

…

 

still nothing.

 

Everything was quiet…but the surroundings were getting…strange.

 

The dirt…looked overturned…scraped and with much of the grass flattened, like something heavy was dragged through.

 

Avery could see pine nettles, out of place amongst the jungle foliage.

 

snap

 

Something on the trunk of a tree…blood? No, it looked like…red berry juice, smeared on the surface.

 

Something lied in a bush, like a bushel of leaves…tied together and forgotten, with sticks jutting out of it…

 

rustle

 

Twigs…Y-Shaped twigs stuck in the ground…tied together…

 

If he had to guess, those were trailmarkers that one of the two of them made to keep from getting lost. If he followed these, maybe he could-

 

snap

 

Any time Avery tried to look at a snap or a rustle…maybe it was all his imagination? Just the sounds of the forest…the darkness getting to him…?

 

Until…-

 

“AUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHH!!!”

 

Manikas’s scream echoed dully through the trunks, sounding as though it were coming from dead ahead.

 

Avery broke into a sprint. That didn’t sound good at all-

 

snap

 

Pushing past ferns and bushes, blasting through the leaves, the twigs scattering as Avery barreled forward.

 

He could hear the sound of struggling. Strained grunting.

 

“Auuugughgh!! For the love of-!!!”

 

There was Manikas again, closer now. As Avery pushed aside the last fern he could…hear the Pangoro, very clearly…but Avery wasn’t able to see him…

 

“I can’t BELIEVE this!!!”

 

Was that coming from…above…?

 

Looking up…Avery saw it…far, far above, completely out of reach…

 

…the Pangoro captain was snared and totally trapped in a net, dangling dozens of feet in the air.

 

‘…Alright. Snares. Good to know. Watch where I step. Or grab. They were setting traps now.’

 

“I see you, Cap’n,” Avery said, casting a quick look behind himself. The Plusle still heard those snaps and rustles, even below the captain’s screaming. “Let me find a way up there and I’ll get you down.”

 

“Avery?! Avery is that you, M’boy??” Manikas shouted, swaying and shuddering, making the net snare swing frantically. “What on Arceus’s green planet is going ON?!”

 

Looking around the small clearing…Avery saw something else…

 

A sign…made from oak, painted with red berries.

 

[STUPID BAD GUY JAIL (Feel Free to use mud to pelt bad guy at your leisure)]

 

And, indeed, there was a pile of mud helpfully placed next to the sign.

 

‘…

 

…I have no idea who was responsible for this. It could’ve been either of them.’

 

Squinting upwards…that was a net. A little harder to free him from than a classic elevated rope snare, but at the very least they wouldn’t have to worry about the Pangoro hanging upside down for half an hour if Avery hadn’t come along.

 

“Elevated net snare, cap’n. for a, uh…” Avery squinted at the sign. “‘Stupid bad guy jail’…something tells me you weren’t the intended target.”

 

“Stupid bad-?!” Manikas’s voice bellowed from above. “Ohhhh no. No no, this had better not be what I think it is! That boy had better not have-!!”

 

“Woooaaah!!!!”

 

That sounded like another yell from across the island. Manikas flared, shouting again.

 

“MR.VIZON YOU BILGERATTATA!! UNTIE ME THIS INSTANT!!”

 

The captain swayed and swung, until he bumped against one of the trees, knocking hard against it.

 

“Ow!!! By Arceus-! That smarts!” Manikas puffed hard, thrashing a bit.

 

Nothing answered him. Only the continued silence of the forest. The Pangoro grunted, looking down at Avery.

 

“Gah! Nevermind, Avery! It’s not yer ol’ Captain’s first net trap he’s escaped from!” The Pangoro shifted, pulling at the ropes and flashing his claws. “We’s got to find whoever’s orchestrated this madness! The whole island could be rigged by now! Go on ahead!!”

 

“Yessir,” Avery said.

 

The eastern sweep wasn’t going to be worth too much if these two were trying not to be found. If that sound was anything to go by, someone else had fallen into a trap. Avery began heading over that way, hoping that whoever had rigged it would come and see it as well.

 

Of course, Avery knew he wouldn’t be much good if he himself got caught…so the Plusle kept an eye out. He at least had an advantage of knowing there were traps.

 

With that, Manikas began slowly cutting at the ropes with his claws as you Avery off, the Plusle making his way through the dark foliage.

 

Indeed, now that Avery knew to look out for traps he could see them much more clearly. There, in the underbrush…

 

…a tripwire of plant fiber…with a sign saying [DUMB BABY PENETENTIARY].

 

Swipe away a bush…an spiked oak log hung in the air by ropes, already tripped, with another sign: [SUPER GOOD GUY LOG SMASH]

 

More and more there were red stains of berries on the trees…not just markings…faces.

 

Painted angry faces, staring down at Avery, eyes dribbling red juice from the bark of the dark trees as the Plusle sidestepped a pitfall, the [VILLAIN TROUBLE DUNGEON].

 

“Someone?? Anyone?? Help!”

 

That was Jolvia’s voice. Avery had made his way to the north, swiping away ferns and underbrush, passing…signs. More and more signs.

 

[TURN BACK]

 

 

[GO AWAY]

 

[GOOD GUYS ONLY]

 

 

[BAD GUYS NOT WELCOME]

 

 

[FECK OFF]

 

 

[TRESPASSERS WILL BE HIT WITH A SUPER COOL MOVE WITH EXTREME PREJUDICE]

 

‘…Hoooo boy.

 

Weird that they’re signposting these traps, but…maybe that’s a ploy. Maybe they’re making some obvious and some not to catch me off guard?

 

Or maybe not. At the very least, I don’t want to be trapped, too.’

 

Avery was getting paranoid, casting looks behind his shoulder every few seconds.

 

‘This, at least, I’m pretty sure is Diquarni’s territory. Even Jolvia’s been caught…?’

 

As Avery pushed past another bush, he found her: Jolvia stood looking terrified, trapped under a heavy oak wood cage that had dropped on top of her. She held the bars, shouting.

 

“Diquarni?! Diquarni, even for you this is a bit much!! What in the world’s gotten into you?!” The Nidorina was both scared and livid, her cool demeanor melting somewhat…until she saw the glow of Avery’s illuminating spark.

 

“Wha-? Avery? Avery!!” Jolvia shouted, turning towards him, grabbing the bars of her cage. It was now Avery could see the cage had a sign attached to it, as though it were a display: [THE COMEUPPANCE]. “Avery, are you okay?! Be careful, this place is absolutely rigged!!”

 

“I’ve already seen that from the Captain trapped in a net in the ‘bad guy corner’,” Avery sighed. “I can’t say I know Diquarni that well, but I think that both she and Vizon have, uh…gone off the deep end. Is there a way to lift the cage…?”

 

“The captain? Trapped, too?” Jolvia said, exasperated, scratching her head. “Oh Arceus this can’t actually be happening…you’re telling me Vizon is setting up these things, too? Oh…the only thing worse than one Diquarni…is two of them…”

 

Jolvia closed her eyes, taking off her glasses to rub her face…she took a deep breath, calming herself.

 

“But…I was following a trail, just up ahead. I think one of them is on the North beach. I can’t rear back enough in here to break this wood.” Jolvia said, pointing out how the cage was just small enough that she had to bend down to stand in it…but it certainly looked big enough for a Riolu. “Could you start me off on one of these planks? Then I’ll work on freeing myself and you go on ahead…”

 

She shuffled back from the planks, glancing back down the path towards the beach.

 

‘…if it’s who I think it is up there…” She said. “…he likely won’t be very happy to see me.”

 

There was a hint of worry in her voice.

 

“…Yeah,” Avery said slowly, walking up to the cage. He reared back his right leg, and slammed it into the bottom of one of the planks to attempt to dislodge it. Jolvia backed up as you kicked. The wood creaked and cracked, splintering with each hit. “…Bit of a mess we got ourselves into, huh?”

 

“A fine mess, no doubt, but that’s hardly anything new.” Jolvia said, kneeling so she didn’t have to bend forward so much in the small cage. “Though pardon me for being blunt, I grow a little tired of our greatest obstacles coming from our teammates…”

 

She huffed, clearly annoyed from all the foolishness, the nonsense, the setbacks, the delays…the embarrassment. Though she said nothing, Avery saw it in her eye: she felt her position as a high-ranking Intelligence Officer in that moment deeply.

 

“…all that said…I hope we can fix this, too.” Jolvia sighed, shaking her head. “Do you think you can talk him out of this one?”

 

Avery frowned, kicking the board again. The board gave a great CRACK, Jolvia nodding at the sound.

 

“That’s done it.” She said, grabbing the broken board to begin wresting the damaged chunk from its place.

 

A high-ranking Intelligence Officer, falling prey to a cage from a subordinate of hers. Avery understood.

 

“That has kind of been the conflict the last three outings, hasn’t it?” Avery sighed. “I won’t lie…part of me is really hoping that the pattern follows again. This being…the Deep Dimension, the Bottom of the Earth. That after this, Team Azure quits being so…so broken.”

 

Now it was Avery’s turn to close his eyes and rub his face in frustration.

 

“I just want to do something normal.” He grunted. “Save a kid who climbed too far up a tree. Get a hard-to-retrieve seed from deep in a forest for someone to use as a medicinal ingredient for their mom.”

 

A laugh escaped his throat.

 

“Move boxes, maybe.”

 

Jolvia paused, looking up at the Plusle…then smiled. It was an almost hesitant smile, like she was unsure if she should even give it.

 

“Yeah…I’m…sure when all this Pearl stuff is over you’ll get your chance to.” She said…perhaps lied. But even if it was clear she tempered her words she tempered them all the same. “I really hope, months from now, I’ll be able to read the Periodicals and hear of the small heroic things Team Azure is doing. Out there really making the world a better place.”

 

She laughed softly, shaking her head as she finally broke the board off, tossing it aside and crawling out.

 

“Just…all of this what’s going on…” Jolvia sighed, dusting herself off. She was quiet a moment, looking out towards the north. “…no, nevermind. Go on, Avery. I’m going to circle back and try to find the others…see if they got caught, too. You continue up north and see what’s going on with our friend.”

 

Avery saw the smile. And the twinge of something else in it.

 

“…I know what’s coming, Jolvia. Or…I know that whatever it is, it won’t be good.”

 

A little part of him felt sick about the next words he was to say…but the rest of him? Felt numb to it.

 

“I know this is…probably going to be your last mission with us. And I know that there’s a chance that I’ll never see you again after this is all done. But even though I know it’s…probably unrealistic, it’s thoughts like getting to read another chapter of Team Moonlight with you that keep me going. I want to live in a world where I can do that. Whether it’s this world or the next.”

 

Avery turned to the north.

 

“I’ll see you back at camp…” Avery promised. “…if I don’t get caught in a trap myself.”

 

Jolvia closed her eyes…and nodded.

 

“One more chapter, at the very least.” Jolvia said with a smile. “I owe you that much at least, Avery. Whatever night we finally get home…one more chapter.”

 

She lifted a hand, patting the Plusle’s shoulder…then headed back towards camp to find the others.

 

To the north, right in front of Avery, was the trail Jolvia had mention, with another sign hanging above like an omen.

 

[NOW ENTERING: THE GOOD GUY ZONE! BAD GUYS NEED NOT COME IN]

 

The Plusle could see a light, there, at the end of the brush…the edge of the jungle…Avery could smell the ocean.

 

‘…oh boy.’

 

The Plusle treaded carefully. If Avery knew Vizon by this point, he was pretty sure the Riolu was convinced he was the only good guy on the whole island.

 

…Him and maybe Rikzyod. Avery had no idea what he’d see in the ‘good guy zone’, but…he prepared for the worst.

 

Avery approached the bright light…closer and closer…the dirt ground slowly turned to sand and sand grass. The sound of waves filled his ears…and the light overtook him, the sun of the island blinding…until…

 

 

oh what the hell was this…

 

A large box…fortress stood on the sad. Makeshift sticks blocked the entrance, with torches burning at the top. A sign was proudly displayed:

 

[FORT GOOD GUYS]

 

“WHO GOES THERE” A voice…a familiar voice bellowed out immediately.

 

Avery’s jaw hit the sand.

 

“…V…Vizon????” He gaped.

 

“Yes, that is I!!” Vizon’s voice called out, his snout barely poking up from the top of the battlements of the makeshift oak fortress that towered over Avery. The Riolu gripped a spear in hand, his crimson eyes squinting down at the Plusle on the sand below.

 

Vizon was silent a moment, the torches on either side of him whipping in the wind.

 

“Who are you, invader?” He asked.

 

“…You…made this overnight?” Avery said, stepping a little closer to study it. Then, quieter, “…I didn’t know you were good at architecture.”

 

The Plusle tilted his head, looking up at the Riolu with a reproachful expression.

 

“…So, uh…you’ve…decided to hunker down and make the island your new home, then?”

 

“Hey!!!”

 

Vizon’s voice shouted as he brandished his spear, pointing it down at Avery. A bit silly, considering he could probably do more with his fists than a spear.

 

“I’m asking the questions!! And I still haven’t heard a name! Unless you’re one of those BAD GUYS.” The Riolu said, bunching his shoulders up, looking more and more like some sloven barbarian.

 

It was from here Avery noticed berry juice smeared on Vizon’s face…like war paint.

 

Avery sighed.

 

“…Avery, Vizon. I’m Avery.”

 

“Hmmm” Vizon hummed, squinting. He nonchalantly pulled up a slab of oak with berry juice scrawled on it. “Avery…Aaaaveryyy…I dunno any ‘Avery’. Oh, wait, there was one ‘Stupid Ugly BUTTFACE, esquire aka Sir CAPITULATION’ but I don’t know any ‘Avery’.”

 

He ducked back down, staring at the Plusle.

 

“Would that be you~?”

 

“…At least I’m an esquire,” Avery mumbled. Then louder, “I, uh, can’t say it rings a bell, but…it’s possible?”

 

“Hmmmmmmmmmm…” Vizon hummed even louder, squinting so hard it looked as though his eyes were hurting.

 

Then, with a tap of his spear, the spiked barriers in the front lifted by ropes.

 

“You may enter, Mr.Buttface. Don’t scuff the floors with all that DOUBLE-CROSSING.”

 

With that, he ducked back behind the wall.

 

‘…

 

…He installed pulleys?’

 

Avery approached cautiously, unsure if Vizon had laid any other traps. The Riolu was…obviously angry at him. At everyone, really, but…

 

“How long did it take you to make all this…?” Avery asked as he approached.

 

“Oh, you know, things are pretty easy without a bunch of people UNDERMINING YOU.” Came Vizon’s voice from within the structure.

 

From the beach Avery could see the inside of the fort. It was a simple abode built on the sand, with a sand floor and mounds of sand and some half-cut logs as furniture. There was even a fire roaring inside.

 

The Riolu stepped over by the fire and set his spear down, huffily taking a seat in the sand with his arms crossed.

 

There was…something else beside where Vizon sat…some strange thing…Avery would need to step inside to make it out clearly.

 

The Plusle wasn’t even sure how to approach all of this. Vizon had been hurt by basically everyone he cared about, and as a consequence, seemed to have lost his marbles.

 

Understandable, Avery supposed, but…now what?

 

The Plusle stepped inside, casting looks around for any more spiked logs ready to skewer him on the way in.

 

“…It is really impressive you were able to make something like this at all, let alone this fast.” Avery said. “I didn’t know you were good at architecture.”

 

“Oh yeah? You like it??” Vizon said, his head WHIPPING towards Avery with a BIG SMILE on his face! “Yeah I didn’t know I had it in me either I’m like SUPER-!!”

 

Vizon cut himself off. His brow furrowed as he crossed his arms and looked away at once with a huff.

 

“Yeah, well…whatever! It’s not like even needed help anyway. I don’t need ANYONE except for my buddy!!”

 

Now that Avery was inside, he could see what that object Vizon sat by was, and…

 

 

Oh what the hell was that.

 

There was the Water Pearl, on a stick, with leaves and planks and berry juice smeared on to make some kind of…Avery effigy which Vizon sat next to like a friend.

 

Avery was stunned into silence again.

 

The Water Pearl was… That…

 

‘That was the funniest thing I’d ever seen in my life.’

 

“I… It… He’s…t-taller than I am,” Avery said, trying to keep himself composed.

 

“Well DUH. My buddy is A TITAN OF GOOD. Figuratively speaking, but this size is really easy to hug and-“

 

Vizon stopped himself again, a blush crossing his cheeks.

 

“ANYWAY, the physical physique of MY PERFECT BUDDY doesn’t concern YOU, Mr.Buttface!” Vizon spat, a fiery look in his eye. “Now speak! Why have you come to my BASTION OF GOOD MORALS?!”

 

“Uh-” Avery tried to calm himself down. But he couldn’t stop staring at ‘Buddy’.

 

‘It’s sad, this is sad, he’s lonely and betrayed and lashing out, I know that, but LOOK AT THE PEARL-‘

 

“…A…Few reasons,” Avery said. “…We need the wood to repair the boat, and, uh…The cap’n’s up in all sorts about the trees all being gone. There’s… A chance Diquarni took the other half.”

 

A flame ignited in Avery’s chest as he said her name.

 

‘Ah, good, that’s back online.’

 

“But also… I was worried about you.” Avery continued. “We didn’t leave on the best terms, and…I hadn’t seen you since yesterday. But…You seem to be doing pretty okay for yourself.”

 

“DIQUARNI”

 

Vizon popped back up onto his feet, a fire in his eye.

 

“That SCOUNDREL. That FIEND. Over there at her CORRUPTED CITADEL OF DARK MALICE.” Vizon shouted, swinging his fist around. “She set up a bunch of traps on my side of the island, trying to get at me!!”

 

He swung around, looking Avery dead in the eye. The Plusle could see it in the Riolu’s gaze…he was sleep deprived. It’d be a shock if he slept a wink last night.

 

“But I GOT HER BACK.” Vizon said with a wild smile. “I got HER side of the island RIGGED with all the traps ONLY SMELLY EVILDOERS fall for, LIKE NETS and PITS and BOXES PROPPED ON STICKS AND BAITED WITH KICKABLE SAND CASTLES MADE BY BRIGHT-EYED YOUTHS.“

 

Vizon was laughing. Sweated. A crazed look in his eye as he hunched over, rubbing his hands together.

 

“It won’t be long now. Noooo sir. She’ll mess up real soon. Bad guys aaaaalways do. Then right when I got her me any MY BUDDY are going to TROUNCE HER FACE.”

 

Vizon paused, glancing at Avery over his shoulder.

 

“Oh and it’s nice to see you too and stuff” The Riolu sighed, briefly acknowledging the last thing Avery’d said.

 

“…Well, Manikas got snagged by…The, uh, Bad Guy Corner?” Avery shrugged. “With this pile of mud for throwing. A lot of the traps around this side have that bad guy terminology too, actually…”

 

Avery looked around at the fort, the novelty starting to wear off.

 

“…There, um…Doesn’t seem to be a bed in here, Vizon. “

 

“WHO NEEDS A BED. JUSTICE NEVER SLEEPS-“

 

Vizon’s head dropped as he began to snore where he stood. He JOLTED, eyes SHOOTING open as he launched back.

 

“GAH! EVIL!!!” Vizon shrieked, putting up his hands.

 

He took a sharp breath, slicking his hair back and sighing.

 

“Then I guess Manikas was a bad guy, too. Who’da thunk.” Vizon squinted at Avery, an eyebrow raised. “Did you get caught by any traps?”

 

“No, but-“

 

‘…Maybe don’t mention Jolvia right now.’

 

“No, I didn’t. Vizon, I…”

 

‘Where do I even start with this? I’m concerned for him. He needs to sleep. But he had the Pearl, and he didn’t trust anyone.

 

Was this what I’d wanted back in Yahneri Cave? Had this been what I was waiting for? What’s wrong with me…?’

 

“Huh…! Not caught by my BAD GUY filter?” Vizon said, leeeaning down, stroooking his chin and squinting at you. “Iiiiinteresting…”

 

Vizon stared at Avery for a moment longer…then the Riolu turned his head to the effigy.

 

“What do you think, Buddy?”

 

 

 

The Water Pearl with a face painted on it said nothing.

 

Vizon turned his head to Avery.

 

“Buddy isn’t impressed. Sorry you’ll have to do more than that MR.BUTTFACE.” Vizon said, turning around immediately with his arms crossed. “For now…I need to check my traps and see if I finally caught that good-for-nothing mistress of pure evil…Diquarni…”

 

“…If you want my guess of where she is,” Avery said, his ears drooping a bit. “As a…Fellow bad guy, I guess…I’d wager she’s on the opposite side of the island, hunkered in a fort of her own.”

 

“Wow! That’s completely wrong!” Vizon said, looking back again, smiling. “Only a good guy would be so utterly off base when guessing the location of a bad guy’s base!”

 

He frowned again, trying to maintain his ‘angry’.

 

“But! She’s actually on the EAST SIDE, fairly CLOSE BY.” Vizon said, clenching a fist. “I made this fort to defend all that is good and just from her. To hear that she’s pilfered ALL OF (what was left of) THE PINE LUMBER FROM YOU ALL IS UNACCEPTABLE!!!“

 

Vizon’s arms flopped to his sides, huffing a frustrated grunt.

 

“Curses! The battle between good and evil! Will it ever end?! I will NEVER back down. I will NEVER change. And so long as greed and malice CORRUPT THE HEARTS OF POKE’MON, so too will I FIGHT!”

 

He SWUNG a hand around, pointing towards the door.

 

“ONWARD, MR.BUTTFACE. WATCH A TRUE HERO AT WORK!!”

 

With that Vizon SHOT out the door, spear in hand.

 

Avery watched him go…And turned to Buddy.

 

“…If you were really his friend you’d be making sure he takes care of himself,” Avery said flatly, picking up the stick and uprooting ‘Buddy’ before following after Vizon.

 

Buddy deserved to see this.

 

 

Buddy stared at Avery judgmentally.

 

The Plusle followed Vizon out of the fortress, the spiked barriers SLAMMING into the sand behind him as they both left. Vizon marched onwards across the beach, spear in hand, pumping it in the air like the conductor of a marching band.

 

Now he was the leader.

 

Vizon said nothing, only diligently marching, a determined look on his face. His chin was stuck out, like a hero of old.

 

It was only when they both rounded the bend of the beach that Vizon held his spear out, stopping Avery.

 

“COMPANY, HALT! Look there, MR.BUTTFACE!” Vizon said, crouching. He held his paw over his eyes, shielding them from the sun to look ahead.

 

There, Avery could see…Argus. The Krookodile stood down the beach, his back to them both, hands on his hips and shaking his head. Vizon hissed gravely.

 

“It’s one of them…the dark forces of evil. Mooks and crooks about, poisoning the land.”

 

Vizon glanced over at Avery…and SNATCHED Buddy away with a snarl.

 

“You…Mr.Buttface…you consort and capitulate and collaborate and, under the nose of people that gave you undying trust, secretly work with their kind…why don’t you see what that ne’er-do-well is up to…”

 

Vizon tucked the water pearl…’Buddy’…under his arm.

 

“Me and BUDDY will watch you from afar, since I can trust him to have my back.”

 

Avery gave Vizon a somewhat strained look.

 

Avery wanted to say more, but…he submitted, and walked forwards onto the beach, into the view of Argus.

 

Argus perked up at the crunch of Avery’s footsteps, looking back. The Krookodile let out a sigh of relief seeing it was only the Plusle.

 

“Ah, Shorrtsparrk. I was worrried you got caught in one of those booby-trraps.” Argus scratched his chin in thought, a cheeky smirk on his face. “Orr, perrhaps, got lost wallowing in self-pity, eh? Hehehehe.”

 

He sniffed, looking over his shoulder.

 

“I see you found Misterr Do-Good.” Argus hummed, the Krookodile’s eyebrows raised. “What is he up to back therre?”

 

“YOU CAN’T SEE ME!!!” Vizon shouted from down the beach. “I GOT BAD GUY CLOAKING.”

 

“Hm…” Argus said, rolling his eyes, looking back down at Avery. “He and Diquarrni rreally arre perrfect forr one anotherr. Werre it not we had more imporrtant things I would not mind watching them fight to the verry bitterr and verry stupid end.”

 

“Vizon is…going through a lot right now,” Avery said, looking back towards him for a moment. “…So am I, granted, but we’re kind of dealing with it in different ways. Have you found Diquarni yet?”

 

“Have I everr. And I must say, I could not come up with a betterr joke even if I trried.” Argus chuckled, patting Avery’s shoulder and pointing down the beach. “See for yourrself.”

 

There, by the water, just as with Vizon, Avery saw…

 

 

Oh what the hell was this?

 

There, on this end of the beach, was a log-for-log, torch-for-torch EXACT replica of Vizon’s fort…or maybe Vizon’s fort was the replica? Or they just HAPPENED to independently make the exact same fort. Over Diquarni’s entrance was:

 

[[FORT GOOD(er) GUYS]]

 

“MR.BACKSTABBER!!!” Diquarni’s voice shrieked from the fort as she also brandished a spear. “LOOK OUT! ONE OF THEM IS RIGHT BESIDE YOU!!!”

 

“Oh yes! Aaaa, oh nooo~. I cannot handle him.” Argus snickered, patting the top of Avery’s head.

 

“I can and have beaten you in a fight, old man,” Avery huffed, the Plusle’s face going a little red. Argus snickered at your comeback, the Krookodile ruffling your hair good-naturedly before folding his arms to look up at Diquarni. “How did these two not run into each other and attempt murder the whole night in the oak grove…??”

 

“With Poke’mon like Vizon and Diquarrni…left to theirr own devices…taking no commands but theirr own…they can only fall back onto theirr unique sense of rright and wrrong.” Argus snickered. “A parrt of me feels bad, of course. Diquarrni is my parrtnerr and frriend, afterr all. I wish to be herr foundation, of courrse…buuuut…”

 

Avery looked up at her.

 

“Have you slept??” The Plusle asked.

 

“WHY WOULD I SLEEP?!” Diquarni spluttered. “SO YOU AND YOUR MERRY BAND OF ROGUES, CROOKS AND VILLAINS COULD GET ME WHILE I’M IN BED? I DON’T THINK SO!! I GOT MY EYE ON YOU!!”

 

“Mm…as you might guess, seeing herr like this is also verry amusing. So, hands somewhat tied, yes?” Argus finished with a laugh. “Heynia would object…but I can sparre a little morre time to let Diquarni embarrass herrself…hehehehe.”

 

“You, uh, might want to go in there and check whether she’s made effigies of you,” Avery said, turning up to Argus.

 

As Heynia flew overhead, Avery quickly ran back toward Vizon, Diquarni and Argus shouting to one another in the distance. The Plusle gave a weak smile to the Riolu.

 

“It, uh…seems that Argus and Diquarni have…regrouped.”

 

“CURSES!” Vizon shouted, pounding a fist into the sand. “Her numbers GROW!”

 

“Is that VIZON?!” Diquarni shouted, perking up over the battlements, a furious look in her eye. “HEY VIZON, IS THAT YOU!?”

 

“YEAH IT IS!”

 

“OKAY, IT’S JUST HARD TO SEE, YOU’RE VERY FAR.” Diquarni shouted, coughing. “HOW DARE YOU SHOW YOUR FACE HERE DURING CEASEFIRE HOURS!”

 

“I WAS JUST CHECKING TO SEE IF YOU TRIPPED UP ANY OF MY BAD GUY TRAPS, YOU VILLAIN!!”

 

“Oh gee that’s funny I WAS JUST ABOUT TO CHECK MY BAD GUY TRAPS TO SEE IF YOU TRIGGERED EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM.”

 

Argus was rolling in the sand, guffawing and kicking his legs as the two shouted at one another across the beach.

 

“I’M GUNNA GET THAT WATER PEARL FROM YOU, VIZON!”

 

Vizon gasped!

 

“YOU’LL NEVER GET YOUR FILTHY CLAWS ON MY BUDDY! WE’RE A TEAM AND TEAM AZ-….”

 

Vizon stopped himself. His brow furrowed. He snarled.

 

“TEAM GOOD GUYS NEVER GIVES UP!!! YOU’RE AS GOOD AS JAILED, YOU VILLAINOUS CREHTIN.”

 

“IT’S PRONOUNCED ‘KREE-TIN’, STUPID!”

 

“SHUT UP!!!”

 

Avery’s arms hung limp at his side, and his head bounced between the two of them like a volleyball.

 

“….D…Diquarni you’re like forty.” Avery said, exasperation entering his voice.

 

“THE QUEST FOR JUSTICE HAS NO AGE, NOT THAT YOU’D KNOW THAT YOU MALEFACTOR.”

 

“Ohh that’s a good one…” Vizon muttered to himself, using berry juice to write ‘malefactor’ on his arm.

 

Argus wheezed, his eyes bulging. Overhead, Avery could see Heynia sweeping the air, flapping her wings as she landed by the Krookodile.

 

A rustle came from the bushes nearby. Avery could already see Jolvia and Rikzyod (who was covered in spikes stabbed into his rocky body. A spike trap, no doubt), both of them following Heynia.

 

And right behind them, trudged Manikas, looking very cross.

 

‘Uh oh…’

 

“…So, uh, Cap’n, we found out where all the wood is,” Avery said, giving him a little wave. “I’m also at least thirty percent certain that Argus is dying.”

 

“Dyin’? Eh, sod it, he’ll get better.” Manikas huffed, waving Avery away as he thundered onto the beach.

 

Jolvia sighed with relief seeing Avery, guiding the Geodude over towards him as Heynia helped Argus to his feet with a sigh…and giggle of her own.

 

“Ah, good, you made it out of the jungle, Avery.” Jolvia sighed. “I was worried you got caught in a trap…the jungle’s an absolute funhouse of traps now.”

 

“How fascinating! I must say, tripping all the different contraptions makes for good fun!” Rikzyod laughed.

 

“AUGH! MR.BUTTFACE! You’re SURROUNDED! Your COVERT OP MIGHT BE COMPROMISED.” Vizon pulled Buddy close, staring the water pearl dead in the eye. “Buddy, look, it’s…JoLvIa…”

 

Vizon’s voice dripped with malice towards all 3 syllables of the Nidorina’s name.

 

“Yeah I know, she is a massive jerk that I think anyone in their right mind would dump immediately because sociopath bad guys manipulate others into being friends in order to get stuff outta them but then WHAT DO I KNOW I’M JUST SO DUMB IDIOT.”

 

Vizon stared at the Water Pearl.

 

“Wow, Buddy!! I’m so glad you get me and listen to me and don’t just run off behind my back!!”

 

Jolvia glanced down the beach at the rambling Riolu with her eyebrows raised before looking back at Avery.

 

“I see things with him are going swimmingly.” She sighed.

 

“Listen, I had the luxury of my post-confession breakdown being in private,” Avery said, crossing his arms. “Go a little easy on the guy….!”

 

Jolvia cocked an eyebrow at the Plusle…and looked back at Vizon who was still yet rambling to himself…or, rather, rambling to ‘Buddy’.

 

Then her crimson eyes swung over towards Diquarni, watching the Zoroark rant and rave, swinging her spear like a woman deranged.

 

“Considering where we’re at…now might be the time to go hard on both of them…” The Nidorina grumbled, rubbing her forehead forlornly.

 

Manikas meanwhile, stared Bug eyed at Fort Good[er] guys, as though it were an affront to Arceus himself.

 

“What in sweet Crimeny is going on here?!” Manikas spoke in utter disbelief. He didn’t shout, not yet, as though the sheer sight sapped all the will from the old man. “What grand new spore of idiocy have you clowns concocted and why, tell, DOES IT INVOLVE MY WOOD?!”

 

Avery winced and walked up to the side of Manikas. The Plusle breathed deeply through his nose, looking up at Fort Good[er] Guys.

 

“…They wanted to build a fort, Cap’n. And…like you said, palm trees wouldn’t cut it.”

 

“Built a FORT?! BUILT A FORT?!” Manikas repeated, RIPPING the pipe from his mouth, smoke blowing from his nostrils like volcanos exploding. “What is this?! Some LOVER’S SPAT?!”

 

“WHAT?!” Diquarni shouted. “NO!”

 

“EW!” Vizon screamed.

 

“YUCK!”

 

“BAD GUY COOTIES.”

 

“VILLAIN GERMS.”

 

Manikas swung around, looking to Avery, snarling.

 

“And Mr.Vizon, too?! That’s where the other half of an ENTIRE FOREST WENT?!” Manikas roared. “Forts and TRAPS!? For THIS nonsense?!”

 

He shot his gaze back to Diquarni, jabbing a finger at the horizon.

 

There, Avery could see the looming black clouds of the Beast’s thunderstorm. They had visibly grown since yesterday, dominating more of the horizon, flashes of lightning more pronounced. Avery wined, trying to calm things down.

 

“Okay yes we need to snap them out of this but I mean don’t judge him too hard-“

 

“In case you forgot, we don’t exactly have TIME to lollygag and goof off!” Manikas yelled.

 

“This isn’t goofing off!!” Diquarni shouted, jumping up. “This is a COMPLETELY reasonable use of resources!!”

 

“Yeah, shut your face, Old Man!” Vizon said. “Mr.Buttface told me you got snagged in my bad guy trap so you don’t get a say, BAD GUY.”

 

“WHEN I CRUSH YER BLOODY WINDPIPE YOU WON’T BE SAYIN’ MUCH, EITHER, YOU RUDDY USELESS BARNACLE-EATER!” Manikas roared, getting right in the middle of the shouting match. He was held back by Argus and Rikzyod, the large Pangoro struggling and clawing his hands in the Riolu’s direction. “Unhand me! GET OFF! I WON’T CLEAN HIS CLOCK I’LL BLOODY WELL STERILIZE IT!!.”

 

“Woah, Peace, peeeace, Captain…” Jolvia sighed.

 

“Mark me, you lot! I don’t bloody care what this is all about, SOMEBODY better dismantle these eyesores and get my bloody ship seaworthy if they don’t want to be used as a life raft!!” Manikas shouted, a feral anger flashing in his one eye.

 

His crazed dedication to hunting down the Beast of the Black Hoard was showing in full force.

 

And the shouting began. Yelling from all sides. Avery brought a hand to his face…and plopped down in the sand, holding his head.

 

A whole island of crazy Poke’mon.

 

Avery was almost coming to Argus’s side of it all. It was almost comical how much this had spun out of control. The Plusle had to fix this. They all had to fix this.

 

‘But what can I do? Where do we go from here?? It’s all so loud-‘

 

Between all the shouting and arguing and noise, Vizon yelled out his declaration:

 

“MARK MY WORDS, DIQUARNI! WHEN NEXT WE MEET OUR ARMIES SHALL CLASH!”

 

“YEAH WELL MY ARMY IS SO MUCH BETTER AND COOLER AND-“

 

They just wouldn’t stop. Argus and Rikzyod were already pulling Manikas away from it all, back into the jungle, towards camp. Heynia was covering her face with her wing.

 

And Jolvia glanced down at Avery…clearly looking as lost on what to do as he was.

 

“Well…guess it’s planning time, hm…?”

 

Avery was tired.

 

He was so tired.

 

“…Planning time,” Avery sighed in defeat.

 

Chapter 34.2

~

Decay

~

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