28. In Which Kip Hears Things through the Grapevine

Treasure Town was always full of friendly faces, but Kip felt the absence of one face in particular keenly. Twig was nowhere to be seen in the bustling town square, the market stalls were devoid of her scrutinizing prices and produce, and Sharpedo Bluff felt empty without her humor or warm presence. She had sent a brief note about how she needed to wrap up some loose ends before coming to visit him, and he was nervous as could be during the wait for her to arrive. It was a bit childish, but he was excited to show off the fact that he’d evolved and would be about the same height as her now. She always said once he got strong enough he’d probably shoot up and be twice as tall as her, and he was eager to reiterate his followup joke that he’d probably end up even shorter than he was as a mudkip. That wasn’t necessarily the case, but he had struggled to beat a bad habit of slouching as a marshtomp for the longest time. Twig would probably get a kick out of it. 

He’d completed his apprenticeship in record time according to Guildmaster Sandslash, faster than any other apprentice they’d had the pleasure of recruiting. The three years it had taken to accomplish that felt like a lifetime of their own. He’d accomplished so much, and he’d finally become someone he was truly proud of— Koffing’s words echoed in his head. You’ll never grow a spine while you’re attached to Twig’s hip. In the end, it was kind of true. He supposed he should thank Team Skull for getting under his skin all those years ago and convincing him to grow up on his own. He was actually an equal to Twig— someone she could be proud to know. Maybe she’d talk to him about what bothered her every now and then. 

He thought back to that day when he received the letter offering him an apprenticeship, when she so clearly intended to tell him something but pushed it aside in favor of encouraging his prospective apprenticeship. She’d always been the type to neglect herself in favor of others— she’d carried the burden of her own erasure from time in silence, only revealing it moments before she was gone for good as they traveled away from Temporal Tower. He hoped that maybe now he’d be worth confiding her feelings to, now that he was able to stand on his own. 

As the days dragged on and he didn’t spot her in the crowd, though, his hopes were gradually being dashed. 

Maybe she’d found better friends. She mentioned having neighbors— a gardevoir and gallade, if he remembered right— and they sounded like amazing people who were probably much better company than he was. She also had a roommate she’d mentioned once. Maybe she formed a new team with them. He should have known that would happen. He’d had to form a new team himself to complete his apprenticeship, and he expected Twig to form a new exploration team at some point. She loved exploring as much as he loved archaeology. He didn’t want her to hold herself back just to encourage him in his pursuits. The thought of her forming a new team in secret was discouraging, though. 

Hey! Stop! He frowned and shook his head to refocus as he briskly paced about the paths around Treasure Town. That sort of thinking was why he felt inadequate in the first place. Just because Twig might be friends with someone else didn’t mean she was less happy to be friends with him. He didn’t need to be so jealous of someone who might not even exist. Twig liked him, he liked Twig, they had written letters to each other constantly throughout the years that he was gone. They were still close. A few extra days between their planned meetup and the actual day Twig arrived wasn’t anything to worry about. 

Team Skull’s shared boisterous laughter as they approached, though… that was something worth worrying over. 

Koffing harshly bumped into him, nearly bowling Kip over with the force of the motion. “Whoa-ho-ho! Well I’ll be! It’s the wonder wimp himself! How long has it been, kid?”

Kip forced a grin. “I dunno! Too long.” 

Zubat elbowed him in what would have been a friendly gesture if not for how it bruised his ribs. “Is your mommy somewhere around? Or is she still back in Whatsit Village?” 

Ugh. It’d been how many years, and they couldn’t come up with another way to refer to Twig? His grimace of a smile wobbled. “She’s taking a while to make her way back here. It’s not a big deal.” 

Skuntank hummed, shaking out his fur as he considered what Kip said. “Probably still working on her latest charity case then, eh?” 

That gave Kip pause. “What do you mean ‘charity case’?”

“That’s what she does, y’know?” He sat back on his haunches and scratched at his ear. “Takes on your type of losers and tries to get you to make something of yourselves, or whatever. She’s got another guy she’s been working on in Verdant Village… Aw, what’s his name… Bark? Nark? Dunno. He’s a real creep.” Skuntank shuddered, clearly shaken by the recollection. “Makes your fur crawl just looking at him. Still a real pushover mind you, chaw-haw-haw, just a freaky one. Can’t believe she’s roommates with the guy.” 

“Oh… I didn’t know she…  She never said nuch about her roommate.”

“Yep!” Koffing smiled broadly. “Seemed pretty nervous about being seen with the guy. Ain’t that funny!”

Kip hummed sadly. “Yeah. Real funny.”

Zubat fluttered over, voice an uncharacteristically nervous whisper as he landed in the fur above Skuntank’s brow and leaned over to murmur into his ear. “‘Ey, boss, the Tuff guy is makin’ his way over. Might wanna make like a tree and skedaddle!”

“It’s make like a tree and leaf, Zu.” Skuntank immediately hustled through the crowd, calling back at Kip over his shoulder as Koffing bobbed after him. “Anyhoo, smell ya later, wimp! Hope to see you again way sooner next time! Hold onto that spine you grew!”

Kip was wondering what tough guy had the three so nervous as Wigglytuff’s voice boomed across the town square. “Hello Kip, Kip, Kip! Hello!”

Kip barely turned around in time to catch Wigglytuff’s face before being swept up in a hug. Wigglytuff spun him around several times before Chatot swept over in a flurried rush of feathers and squawked, “That’s quite enough, Guildmaster, don’t you think?!” 

Kip barely stayed on his feet once he was released, staggering enough to rival Spinda as he mixed drinks in his cafe. “Ugh… Hello, Chatot, Guildmaster! It’s been a while. How have you been?”

“It’s just Wigglytuff for you now!” The Guildmaster laughed.

“Nonsense!” Chatot interjected. “It is a sign of respect to be addressed as Guildmaster, and Kip is wise to refer to you as such.” He puffed out his chest, punctuating the sentence with a firm nod. “The guild has been quite well, quite well. We were unable to greet you earlier as much arranging had to be done to prepare Bidoof to run it in our absence, as brief as it is. As you know, a Guildmaster’s work is never done, nor that of his right-hand pokemon, and—”

“Have you two seen Twig at all?” Kip interrupted. 

“Twig?” Chatot blinked, startled out of his lecture. “Ah, no, she hasn’t visited us recently. Didn’t she greet you already?”

“No. She sent a letter saying she’d be a while, but that was days ago. I’m a little worried. Team Skull said something about her new roommate or something, and I can’t help but wonder…”

Wigglytuff’s wide-eyed stare went furious for a moment at the mention of Team Skull, but then he pouted innocently and gave Kip a few pats on the head. “Aw, no stinkin’ thinkin’, friend! You two’re close as close can be. Twig wouldn’t replace you, not ever.”

“I’m not sure that’s quite what Kip meant, Guildmaster—” 

“No, he’s right.” Kip shook his head. “Thank you, sir. But I can’t help but feel worried, still.”

“Well, regardless of whatever inadequacies you feel you carry,” Chatot set a wing over his chest in a huffy pose, “those rapscallions are not, nor have they ever been trustworthy.”

Kip gave Chatot a weary look, recalling the time he and Twig were sent to bed after a taxing expedition with no food because he trusted Skuntank’s word over theirs. Chatot seemed to catch on to the thought process behind the look and cleared his throat, flustered. 

“R-Regardless, I’m certain whatever they were saying was simply to get a rise out of you. They’re those sorts of pokemon that find such things prime material for their… what do the apprentices call it… kicks and giggles.” He let out a great harrumph. “Absolutely repulsive if you ask me.” 

Wigglytuff tapped his chin in thought. “Repulsive, repulsive… Didn’t Drowzee mention Twig when he came by before, Chatty? And her house being repulsive?”

“I believe his exact words were vile, but yes. He did mention Twig. She was acting unusually shifty, apparently.” 

Kip perked up. “Shifty— is she okay?”

“Drowzee said that she looked dreadfully exhausted, but no worse for wear beside that.” Chatot startled when Kip let out a low groan, his head in his fins. “What is it? Is something the matter?”

“I should’ve guessed. Twig can’t sleep when she’s got something on her mind, and she can’t tell a lie to save her life. She’s hiding something, and knowing her, it’s probably something stupid.” 

“Well then!” Chatot let out a conspiratorial chirp. “You certainly didn’t hear it from me, but that dusknoir you associate with has mentioned her several times. It’s terribly suspicious, what he’s said. I don’t trust him as far as I can throw him. Never have, no, not at all—”

Wigglytuff frowned. “He was just saying how he’s worried about her when he was chatting with the magnemites is all. He’s being nice, Chatot. You should stop acting so mean.” 

“It’s not mean, Guildmaster, it’s realistic. Surely you understand, Kip. Dusknoir is terribly suspicious. Don’t you agree?”

“Not at all.”

“There, Guildmaster, you see? He agrees wholeheartedly—” He fluttered his wings rapidfire in surprise, “What?! Not at all, you say? But he— he—! Oh, alright. If you trust him, you don’t have to take my word for it. But keep it close at hand! He’s betrayed us once, he’ll do it again!”

“He really won’t,” Kip sighed. “I need to send Twig another letter. Maybe even Dusknoir. He’ll probably know what’s going on better than we do— she’s visited him and our other friends fairly often, from the sound of things. Thank you for the chat, Guildmaster. And thank you for the tip, Chatot.” 

Chatot spoke over Wigglytuff’s cheerful farewell. “Again, keep in mind my theory, Kip. Dusknoir might work hand-in-magnet with Officer Magnezone, but I don’t trust his sense of justice one bit! A crooked copper, that one. Why, I’m half the mind to race over to Verdant Village myself to— ack!”

Chatot let out a startled shriek as Wigglytuff caught him in his arms and started to walk back to the guild. The Guildmaster gave Kip a sunny smile as he went. “Bye, Kip! See you later! Tell Twig hello from us!” 

Kip waved farewell and smiled despite his worries when Chatot let out a furious squawk and fluttered out of Wigglytuff’s arms to hop alongside him. Those two sure didn’t change. And if Wigglytuff and Chatot were still themselves, then chances were he and Twig were the same as well. He turned back to head for the Bluff and pen a letter addressed to Verdant Village.