In which a normal mission for Team Earshot becomes more than they bargained for.
Warning: Warnings listed before chapter! — You can hide marked sensitive content or with the toggle in the formatting menu. If provided, alternative content will be displayed instead.
Warning Notes
CONTENT WARNINGS: Abuse (from parental figure towards a child above the age of 18; verbal and physical; inside of a nightmare), self-loathing, more violence than usual (serious injury; more detailed descriptions of violent events, including depictions of blood). Content is unmarked. Read at your own discretion.
Chapter 14 – The Aegis and The Grasshopper
by Cedsy“Are you sure that you’ll be alright by yourselves?”
Eri responds, brushing Rosemary’s leaves off her shoulders. “Yes, Rosemary. Positive.”
A claw grabs hold of her leaf, drawing her attention to Samuel. “Come on, Rose. Can’t tie them down forever. Now that Bryon is out of the way, we have a lot less to worry about.”
“They grow up so fast…” She puts a leaf to her face and pulls herself against Samuel’s shoulder.
With an unamused look, Eri walks past her and toward the mission board. “Award-winning performance. We’ll see you tonight, ‘kay?”
“B-Be safe, you two~!” She continues to shout as Samuel pulls her back to town hall’s lobby.
“Good luck. Don’t let her get in your head.” Samuel waves a claw as the door creaks shut, leaving Eri and I alone.
She’s really something. “I’ve never been doted on this hard in my life.”
“Me neither. She’s sweet, but it’s a bit much. Poor Samuel, dealing with her full-time.”
“Maybe he likes the attention?”
Eri pauses for thought before assuming a sly smirk. “You know what, I could see it. Tends to be the case for the strong and silent types. Don’t get any ideas.”
“I… didn’t plan on it…?” Ideas like what? Eri doting on me? She kinda already does, but not in the way Rosemary does it.
Seeming to realize her strange comment, Eri clears her throat and abruptly switches topic. “Let’s take a looksie at the board, shall we?”
The low rank boards have been flooded with missions lately, but the ones from C-Rank and above have been surprisingly dry. That said, we’ve noticed the same handful of missions lingering all the time. We lock on to the rescue missions when they come up, so the lower urgency ones just collect dust.
Come to think of it, I’m really not sure how many public sector adventurers Radiant Square has. There’s Rosemary, Samuel, Hopper and I, but beyond that I have met very few.
For what it’s worth, the low rank missions seem to be cycling in and out pretty quick despite their abundance. Some of that is no doubt due to expirations or client cancellations – which have become even more common with the shifting terrain – but it’s relieving that there’s a consistent flow in the lower ranks.
So clearly there’s still a fair share of rookies, probably a lot of high schoolers who live in town. I did some reading, and there’s a rule barring anyone still in school from advancing past D-Rank, but the kids who start young typically ascend the ranks much faster than late bloomers like Hopper and I.
Still, that leaves no apparent explanation for how stagnant the higher ranked boards are. There’s gotta be at least a handful of us, otherwise they wouldn’t even bother posting the missions, but are there really that few?
“What about this one, Eri?”
While I was lost in thought, Hopper perused the board and found one that caught his eye. I follow his paw to the mission in question.
MISSION: Find the nightmare weaver!
LOCATION: South Radiant Forest
REWARD: 2,000 Poké
CLIENT: Serenity the Clefable
I’ve been having these nasty nightmares for weeks, and every morning I see someone pass by my window right after I wake up! I asked my neighbors, and they said the same has been happening to them. We miss having sweet dreams, so please help us! You can see me for some more information.
I pluck the flier from the board and inspect it further. “’Nightmare weaver’, huh?”
Hopper shudders a little. “It’s a scary name. Think we can take them?”
“Probably just superstition. I’m surprised nobody’s taken it yet, since it was posted on…” I pull it closer to my face, inspecting the fine print at the bottom. “…November 21st?! Today’s the 30th, so this mission is ancient by now!”
Hopper hikes up his backpack and makes for the door. “Shouldn’t keep Miss Serenity waiting any longer, then. Let’s move.”
Lisa pointed us to Miss Serenity’s home on the south end of town, near the library at the far end of the residential district.
Peeking up from the paper containing the address, Eri steps forward. “Do we just knock? I feel kinda weird doing this.”
“I guess?” Not like I’ve had to do this before either.
Her paw slowly rises to the door, and after one more glance my way…
KNOCK KNOCK KNO-
“A-Adventurers?! Please be adventurers!”
A towering blob of pink swings the door open in record time, panting as she looks between my partner and I.
“That heroic red scarf… and that slick black jacket… you are adventurers!”
Eri and I steal a glance at each other before returning our attention to our presumed client. She holds up the mission flier and begins. “Y-Yes, ma’am. We’re Eri and Hopper of Team Earshot. Are you Miss Seren-”
“Thank you! Thank you so so so much!” She pulls both of us into an embrace, nearly crushing us in the process. “I was beginning to worry that I was out of luck, but here you are!”
“T-Too tight, ma’am! Too tight!”
“Oh, my apologies!” She releases us, allowing us to catch our breath. “I was just so excited, you see. Please, come in for some tea!”
Tea? I don’t really think that’s necessary. “N-No, we wouldn’t wish to impose-”
“Nonsense! Please, come inside!” Doughy arms wrap around mine and Eri’s, dragging us through the door.
“Hm hmmmm… hm hm hmmmmmmm…”
Jovial humming resounds from the kitchen, clearly audible from the living room couch despite the distance between. The couch in question – woven as a blue tapestry – looks and feels ancient. This entire place reeks of my grandma’s house, and I mean that figuratively and literally. I suppose the smell isn’t bad, though. It’s a little nostalgic honestly.
Hopper, who Miss Serenity set down right against my side, nudges my arm and whispers. “Did we just get, like, kidnapped?”
“Only technically. She doesn’t seem malicious. Just lonely.”
“I didn’t expect her to be so strong.” He’s recovering from her tight grip, shaking his sore arm up and down. My fluffy coat and gloves subdued her strength a tiny bit, but I certainly felt it. I’ve never heard of a Clefable this tall or strong.
“Yeah. It’s a wonder that she doesn’t just do this thing herself.”
His head tilts slightly towards me. “Should we tell her that?”
And my own head shoots up in response. “What?! Hopper, are you insane? She’s our client, we can’t do that!”
“Did you say something, sweetie?” Miss Serenity’s voice bellows from the other room.
Hopper and I lock our postures to attention at once. “N-No, ma’am!”
“Ohoho! Such polite young Pokémon!”
Close call…
The tea comes out before long, and Eri gets right to it. I have too many memories of burning my tongue on my own piping hot tea as a kid, so I’m letting it sit for a while.
“So? Please tell me it’s to your liking.”
Eri finishes a sip and lowers it to the small ceramic plate it was served upon. “It’s excellent, Miss Serenity. My partner is quite the chef, but tea is a blind spot for him. It’s been some time since I had a nice cup.”
My gaze drifts toward her. “You want tea? It’s not a blind spot; I used to make it all the time for Grandpa. You’ve never asked me for any, though.”
“Then it’s a date. After this job, you’re giving me the best cup you can muster.”
“Ohohohoho!” Across from us in a large, fragile chair, our client can’t help but laugh. “You two are a class act. How long have you been together?”
“We’ve been together si-”
“We’ve been working together for just under three months, ma’am!”
Huh? Why’d Eri interrupt me?
Miss Serenity’s eyes narrow, like she’s been possessed by Rosemary. “Partners for three months, hm? You act rather familiar despite the short timeframe.”
“Professional partners, yes.” Eri jumps in before I can reply. “We’ve been living together in the meantime. I traveled here from Bark Square, and he was generous enough to have me.”
“Yes, yes, of course. Professional partners. Living together and brewing tea for one-another. I understand.” She nods with a grin as she sips her tea, peeping one eye open to glare at Eri.
“I’m glad you understand, ma’am. Professional partners.” And Eri does the exact same, but with a faint scowl.
“Yes, professionals.”
“Professionals.”
Endless nodding and sipping and staring. I feel like I’m in a different dimension from them.
If I’m to leave this dollhouse of a home any time soon, I’ll have to slice through this tension myself. “S-So! Miss Serenity, is there any more information you can provide about the suspect?”
“Ah, yes, I got a bit sidetracked there.” She lowers her cup and clears her throat, pointing to the window behind us. “They always slip past that window, every single morning. It was too dark for me to see the first few times, but eventually I got a clear look. They’re about my height and have a dark purple body.” She sticks her arms up diagonally and makes a creepy face. “They have big horns too, and I could’ve sworn I caught a glimpse of a huge, sinister smile.”
As Miss Serenity speaks, Eri retrieves our notepad from my backpack and begins jotting down notes about her testimony. Since we’re authorized to take on outlaw jobs now, we figured the notepad would be useful for investigations like these. It’s the first time we’ve had to make use of it, though.
Tapping her pencil’s eraser to her mouth, Eri continues the interrogation. “And your neighbors have seen this individual as well?”
“Indeed. At first it was just me, but then Miss Winsley next door saw it. Her husband, too.”
“And they were also having nightmares?”
“Yes, that’s right. When they told me, that’s when I asked Miss Lisa at town hall to post that mission.”
Eri scribbles a couple more things before continuing. “Now, about the mission itself-”
“Goodness, is the reward too low? Is that why it’s taken so long? I’m perfectly fine with doubling- no, tripling it if needed!”
Eri puts her paws up and gestures down, likely attempting to put our client at ease. “Easy, ma’am. An increase in pay won’t be necessary. I was going to ask whether anyone else has taken this job before us. I find it hard to believe that this would sit there for so long.”
Our client’s expression sours. “Yes, well… I had two teams come and accept it before, but they reported back with no results.”
She casually points the eraser to Miss Serenity. “And you believe their findings to be incorrect?”
“Perhaps not incorrect. I don’t believe they’d lie to me. I just… cannot accept it. I know this fiend is out there! And I tire of these nightmares!”
With a few final pencil strokes, Eri shuts our notepad and stuffs it back into my bag. “Alright, we’ve heard enough. You said they passed through South Radiant Forest, right? We’ll take care of it.” She puts her tea down as she stands, turning back to me. “Ready, Hopper?”
I didn’t end up drinking my tea, but… “Yeah, let’s mosey.”
We found the forest to be practically empty today, at least along our path. Save for a Rookidee and Yungoos here or there, we haven’t found a single wild Pokémon in our fifteen minutes or so of walking. Even the little ones that did appear were intimidated enough by Hopper’s electricity to run away on the spot.
I find myself skimming the mission flier yet again. There’s no details I missed and, after our conversation with Miss Serenity, the information therein is practically useless. Just calms my anxiety a little, I guess; knowing we’re in the right spot and knowing that we’re working toward something.
“Unf!”
Huh?
I look to my side, where Hopper lies on his belly in the snow.
“Hopper! Are you okay?”
I rush to his side, and- “A-Ah!”
…great, me too. Luckily for me, I just fall on top of his back, but that must make things even worse for him.
“S-Sorry!”
He carefully pushes himself up, allowing me a second to get off him before he stands up fully. “Don’t worry about it. Glad I broke your fall.”
We glance around, and it dawns on me how rugged the path is today. Most days the terrain shuffles to something very uniform and straightforward, but today it’s all bumpy and uneven.
Arceus, what a weird thing to say. ‘Oh, yeah, today the terrain magically changed itself to look a different way than it normally does.’ Yet here we are.
“Guess we’ll just have to watch our step.” I brush some snow off my jacket, doing the same to Hopper when I’m done. “Hopefully this doesn’t interfere with the investigation.”
“I’m just glad to have these new mittens at a time like this. I’ll have to prepare some tea tonight for whoever made them.” He winks and flashes a silly smile.
Total dork. “Hmm. I think they’d appreciate it. I might have to do the dishes for whoever made mine.”
“R-Really?! I’d- uh, they’d probably be very happy to hear that!”
Wait, maybe I don’t want to lock myself into this arrangement. “I don’t think they should get their hopes up, though. I’ll probably just help by drying the dishes.”
His arms droop low. “But the one who made your mittens would reaaaaaally appreciate it if you washed and dried, I bet.”
I start walking ahead of him, patting his arm with my tail as I pass. “I think they should focus on their mission for now.”
It’s been about ten minutes since our little tumble, and still nothing. We’ve been taking careful steps since, which has no doubt slowed our progress, but it’s still surprisingly uneventful.
“It reminds me of that night with Vincent…” Eri steals a look at me as we walk.
“How so?”
“Oh, right, you wouldn’t know. When Rosemary and I followed you and Bryon, it was eerily dull. They’d taken care of all the wilds before we came in.”
“So you think the nightmare weaver did the same here? Didn’t you say they’re probably not real?”
She runs a paw through her bangs with a sigh. “I’m starting to think that theory was a bust. Stay sharp.”
Not good.
CRSH. CRSH. CRSH. CRSH.
The crunching of our paired footsteps cut through any moments of silence, leaving us ever aware of each other’s presence.
It’s unnerving to a certain degree; certainly empty. But it’s also reassuring. So long as those steps continue to crunch, I know Eri is with me. I know we’re fine.
CRSH. CRSH. CRSH. CRSH.
CRSH. CRSH. CRSH. CRSH.
He’s still with me.
CRSH. CRSH. CRS-
Huh? Hopper?
My vision is conquered by a deep purple.
Cold wind whips at my hair.
CRSH!
Frost surrounds my tail, though my jacket protects my back.
“HOPPER!”
My partner’s voice. It figures that she’d notice.
I struggle against the purple above me, but it doesn’t react to my movements. It’s like I can’t touch it, but it can touch me.
But maybe I can shock it?
My arms charge up. I wasn’t ready for a fight just yet, so I wasn’t pushing much power to them.
Blue sparks crackle around them, tracking from my paw pads to my shoulders. The traces bouncing from my cheeks join with this new charge, creating a sort of circuit. I’d hate to ruin my new mittens, but if I must…
“That won’t be necessary.”
The voice is both deep and wispy; somehow otherworldly. While they must be coming from my assailant, the words shake around my skull like an intruder.
I push the voice out. I need to concentrate on my electricity.
My arms are locked and loaded.
Pull the trigg-
“Ngh…”
Red eyes with tiny, black pupils stare through me. They detach themselves from the purple body, imprinting themselves upon my eyes as they move.
Even when I close them, those red eyes menacingly stare back.
“I said… that won’t be necessary. Rest.”
Rest?
My eyes flutter.
The purple remains atop me. Like a weighted blanket.
Another purple mass creeps to my side. Gelatinous.
My eyes close, then they open.
In the gelatin’s place is… me…?
Who…?
Going… dark…
I can’t… help myself…
…
I rush through the snow to my fallen partner, his form obscured by his assailant. They tackled him way across this clearing.
They’re tall: more than triple my height it seems. Similar in height to Miss Serenity.
Deep purple, with spikes from the head.
The nightmare weaver! This must be them!
I speak as I run. “We are Team Earshot: public sector adventurers operating on behalf of Radiant Square! We command you to surrender, or we will subdue you with force!”
No answer.
“Then you leave me no cho-”
FWISH!
“URGH!” An unseen attack sends them tumbling to their back. Hopper pulled through!
“Ah, Hopper! You did it!”
As I speak, he steps out from behind our fallen target.
“Hm? Where’s your jacket? And your gloves?”
He slowly lumbers towards me. His hair covers his lowered head. He doesn’t pant or sigh, he just walks.
“H-Hopper?”
This isn’t right.
CRSH. CRSH. CRSH.
His steps are slow and rhythmic.
No, this definitely isn’t right.
CRSH.
I take a step back.
CRSH.
And another.
CRSH. CRSH.
He gets even closer.
His right arm rises.
“Hopper, what are you…?”
What do I do?
There’s no scar on his arm. And none at his right side, either.
The scar on his cheek looks wrong.
I’ve looked at his face every day for months. Every day I look at it and think ‘Oh, how cute!’
Even the scars.
I know his scars better than he does. I could sketch them from memory effortlessly.
And that’s not how that one looks.
“Y-You’re not-”
BZZZZZ-
“HUFF… HUFF… HUFF… HUFF…”
I fight to control my breathing.
“Huff… hoo…”
A firm mattress rests below me. I’m drenched in sweat.
This is… my home…? Was the mattress always this firm?
Why am I here, anyways? What was I doing before this?
I throw my blanket off and leap down from my bed. It’s far too big for a Paw…mot… like me, which is a blessing and a curse.
Was it always this big? I remember it being this large when I was a Pawmo, but it should fit me fine now.
Whatever. It is what it is.
I turn my old doorknob and push open my creaky door.
“You’re up late.” A hardened voice wanders from the living room. I’ve never heard it so stern.
“I’m sorry…”
“Coffee. Brew me a cup. Now.”
“Y-Yes, Grandpa.”
The preparation is a blur. The water hisses as it boils. My spoon clatters against the mug as I stir. An unintelligible mess of sights, sounds and smells assault my senses as I run through these rehearsed actions.
Wind pounds against the window above our kitchen counter, and the steady rainfall helps my mind float away.
Maybe some conversation would lighten the mood.
“So, Grandpa, how are y-”
“Quiet. Hurry with the coffee.”
-ZZZZT!
For an instant, I cease to feel. My clothing does little to insulate the electric blast.
When that instant is complete, I’m propelled back. My ears flap and my tail flails.
CRSSSSSSSSSSSH!
I slide several meters through the snow, coating my back with it. There’s enough built up behind me to prop me up, allowing me a blurred view of Hopper.
No, not Hopper. Someone… something else.
CRSH. CRSH. CRSH. CRSH. CRSH.
It walks to me, faster this time.
At first, it was moving like it never had before. Like a newborn. It seems to be getting the hang of things now.
Behind it, the purple stumbles to its feet.
“Gotcha.”
He brushes away some snow and steps behind the creature.
“Not convinced, huh? Well, it got the job done.” He chuckles, like this is all some game to him. “So, boss, what’s next?” He turns to the creature.
The fake, unscarred arm points to me. It doesn’t address the nightmare weaver otherwise.
“I see, I see. And then I’m all done?”
The creature lowers its arm. The nightmare weaver seems to take this as affirmation.
“Understood.” His attention returns to me. A wicked grin stretches across his entire torso. It and his red eyes impress themselves upon my vision. I can look away, or I can blink, or I can rub my eyes, but that face doesn’t leave me. “Sorry, kid. Paycheck’s a paycheck. You’re an adventurer; you know how it is.”
I don’t know… what’s going on…
I’m getting tired…
No, I can’t sleep!
But… I have to…
The faker’s body contorts, oozing purple slime which comes to coat its body.
It shifts from purple to beige, with some spots of dark brown too.
The real Hopper is asleep too, on the other side.
He must be cold in the snow…
I should join him… and warm him up…
…
“This is disgusting.”
His axe flicks up, launching the near full cup towards me.
SSSSSSS!
“A-AH!”
It burns! It burns!
Scalding hot liquid coats the fur on my right side, singing it clean off.
And yet it scars within seconds. The pain remains, but it’s beginning to dull already.
“Pathetic. Come with me, boy. We’re going to fix you.”
CHK. CHK. CHK.
His footsteps resound through our home as he moves to the front door. I follow close behind.
An autumn breeze howls at my face, forcing my eyes shut as I walk.
Whatever, I didn’t want them open anyways. All there is to see are looks of disgust. Kids I went to school with, old guys who came by the shop regularly, my dad’s weird friends: they all stare at me like I’m an intruder. Like I shouldn’t be here.
Like I… betrayed them?
No, like I failed them. Disappointed them.
My feet stop.
This is my house. Well, it’s the shop. My home is on the second floor.
My family is inside.
I’ll have to face them.
KNOCK KNOCK!
A tiny Minccino with fur tied into pigtails opens the door. She always loved how my fur used to fluff out at the sides when I was a Minccino, so she asked me to style hers as close as I could. It was nice; she was one of the only people I knew who complimented the style…
“H-Hey, Sana. I’m back.”
“That was fast, Eri.”
And she marches away. The childlike enthusiasm I’d come to love her for isn’t there. She’s like a zombie.
I was only gone for two days. Since when did Sana begin talking so cordially? I’m used to her calling me ‘big sis Eri’.
Hesitantly, I step through the door.
My two elder siblings slave away at cleaning projects: shirts and suit jackets and whatnot. Jess, meanwhile, is manning the register.
Moments after I enter, Dad sluggishly steps down the stairs.
“Eri. I see that the adventuring gig worked out about as well as we expected.”
I never wanted this to happen. I never wanted to have this conversation. Thank Arceus that Mom isn’t home right now.
“Yeah, I ran out of-”
“Don’t waste your breath with excuses.” He holds a paw up and adjusts his glasses with the other. “Your poor little brother has been neglecting his homework since you left. We’ve needed him full-time at the register after school. How about you try being a good sister and relieve him.”
Right.
This is my life. I’m back.
I’m led to the makeshift backyard behind our house. Grandpa stops at the far edge, slowly turning my way.
“I hope you’re ready.”
“Whenever you ar-”
He launches towards me without warning. He’s far more agile than I remember.
His axe rises to the sky, cleaving the oncoming rain in half.
I stumble backwards, falling to my rear.
CHK!
The axe falls between my legs, barely missing my torso.
“Sloppy.”
I return to my feet, but I’m instantly swept by his leg. Mud coats my face.
“We’ll keep going until you get it right.”
A foot plants itself to my head, smushing my face even further into the mud.
It kicks me back, forcing my brain to bounce in my skull.
THUD.
My back collides with the wall.
“I brought some assistants with me for our session today. Maybe they can whip you into shape, bug.”
Minutes at the desk turn to hours. Then to days. For all I know, I’ve only been here for half an hour, but it sure doesn’t feel like it.
Plenty of Pokémon come in. I ring them up and add them to the list. Someone in the family gets to them eventually.
There’s no warmth.
There’s no banter.
I’m so… exhausted. And bored.
This is all I’ve ever known, but it somehow feels like something is missing. Like I’m forgetting something. Like I left something behind.
DING DING!
The door opens.
“Oh, wooooooow.” The careful steps of this Liepard are inaudible. “Didn’t think I’d see you here, Eri.” Her mouth curls into a wicked grin, likewise with the Altaria walking in behind her. “Love what you’ve done with your hair, by the way. The bob suits you better than that weird, scruffy look you had back in high school. Glad you took my advice and changed it.”
I’ve known these two since they were a Purrloin and a Swablu. They’re taller than before, but their rotten personalities have remained more or less the same.
“Welcome. Can I help you?” Words I’ve spoken countless times today.
“What, gonna go on an adventure for me?” They both scoff. “How did that work out for you? After all that talk at graduation about leaving Bark Square behind and becoming a famous hero, here you are as a cashier again. Did you not find that dashing, talented partner who you were so confident would roll up to your doorstep?”
The bundle of fluff and feathers behind her joins in. “Or was this more in line with your paygrade?”
I thought I’d seen the last of these two. “How about you tell me what you want or get out of my shop.”
“’My shop’, huh? Taking a lot of credit for something you’re so eager to run from.” Her grin somehow widens even further. “And is that how you talk to a customer? How about I have a word with your parents? I trust them more with this job anyways.”
I wait for my brothers to intervene, but they don’t say a word.
“Well? Got anything to say, washup?” The Altaria leaps atop the counter and cranes her neck down at me, pushing her face right towards mine.
I don’t know what to-
“Excuse me! What is the meaning of this?!”
Mom! Thank Arceus. She’ll help me.
“Even your grandfather can’t stand to look at ya, huh?” A familiar, conniving voice. “Gee, makes me feel a whole lot better about things! Eheheheheh!”
“How about we show him how it’s done, Vincent?”
“Couldn’t agree more, dear.”
I put my dukes up and-
VSSH!
“A-AAAAAAGH!”
Blood pours from my lower left.
Ellie’s face is impossibly wicked, her smile distorting across her entire head as she swipes across my belly.
But before I can stare for long, she leaps backward.
“Taste it, Bug!”
A new attacker appears. Big and gray with fierce, red eyes.
“GAAAAAH!”
A nasty uppercut. More blood explodes from my chin. In the place of fur is an agonizing sting.
He shouts. “Follow up, Ellie!”
“You got it!”
Another slash at my face. I feel blood trickle beside my eye.
“GH…!” It hurts to make any sound at all.
“Oi, oi, oi! Leave some for me, grunts!”
Something latches to my right ear.
It swings me effortlessly…
…and I fly into the dirt.
There’s something missing. He ripped something off.
Blood in my hair.
Blood down my face.
So much.
I can barely move from all the pain. I don’t dare to make a sound.
“Thanks for a great training sesh, Bug. Let’s finish strong, alright?”
I lie helpless as Vincent crouches down beside me, holding my right arm out with a claw.
“Best hold still. This’ll only hurt for a second. Or maybe longer. Builds character.”
His other claw opens, slowly closing in near my elbow.
Contact. It pierces.
Scrape. Scrape. Scrape. It slides across.
It’s like etching in a pattern. Slow and precise.
My face tenses up, but I don’t scream.
It feels like an eternity.
The rain and blood mix, creating a diluted red puddle in the surrounding mud.
Finally, the claw lifts.
“Alright, let’s take five. We can build more character after.”
He leaves my side, reconvening with his underlings. They pay no further attention to me. I’m just a distraction. A stress toy.
A bug.
The only one who pays me any mind is Grandpa, his brow furrowed in disgust.
I’m a failure.
Stealing a look at my battered body, I see that all of my wounds have scarred. Five in total, or six if you count my ear.
I want to disappear. I don’t want anyone to see me. I don’t want Vincent or Grandpa or anyone to think about me anymore.
My body feels lighter by the second.
Frail and fragile.
I’m just a bug.
I feel tiny and weak. Pathetic. Worthless.
A form fit for something like me.
My pain fades, and I find the strength to stand up.
I need to run. As far as my little legs can take me.
“Mom, they just-”
“What a pleasure to see you, ma’am.” The furball interrogating me immediately shifts to the role of a suck-up. “Your daughter was refusing us service and giving us attitude. We were hoping we could get our homes cleaned, but it seems clear that our patronage is unwanted.”
Mom storms over to me, her footsteps slamming against the floor all the way. “Eri, do you care to explain?”
She glares up at me. Ever since evolving, I’ve been a tiny bit taller than her. Wait, when did I evolve? How did I forget something like that?
“These two came in and started berating me. I don’t know what to-”
“Arceus Almighty, Eri. Can you think for even a second before you speak? I’ll be having a word with you after dinner.” She pushes me aside and takes my position behind the counter. “Please excuse my daughter, girls. How may I help you today?”
Mom… why…?
I want to scream. I want to cry and yell at my mom and say ‘What the hell is wrong with you? Why can’t you help me?!’
I can’t cause a scene, though. After all the trouble I’ve been, I can’t do that.
I need to steel myself. I can’t show emotion.
The three of them talk, but it’s all unintelligible to me. I can’t pay attention.
That damn cat stares at me, her grin wrapping all the way above her eyes.
I can’t stand to be here anymore. I need to leave.
My arms and legs will themselves to run, and so they do. I dash to the door.
“ERI! GET BACK HERE THIS INSTANT!”
Shut up, Mom! Stop it! Why won’t you listen to me, damn it!
Out of the house, out of Bark Square, out of the entire Bark Area. I’ll run as far as I need to!
I run for what feels like an eternity. Not only is my body weak, but I feel exhausted.
Did I lose too much blood? Am I going to collapse here?
Grandpa was right. That’s so… I’m so pathetic.
With every step I take, my mind and body urge me to go back.
The first time I did this, I ran out of food within a couple hours. I don’t know how I managed to crawl home.
And this time, there’s this impossibly heavy weight on my shoulders. Arceus knows where it came from.
Gonna turn around again?
Huh?
That’s your specialty, isn’t it? Running back to safety. Too bad ‘safety’ is rather unpleasant.
What the hell do you know about me? Who even are you?
Oh, come on sweetheart. You know it’s true.
I don’t know what you’re talking about…
Just turn around when the going gets rough.
Shut up, just shut up!
Well, that’s what I’d usually say. But these memories are incongruent. There’s something different now.
Arceus, be quiet! I’m not turning back, not again!
Because down this road is a better life. There’s something waiting for me there. I can feel it.
So that’s how it is, huh? Left behind again.
A new voice pushes into my mind. Is it the same as when I Terastalized? No, that was a feeling, not a voice.
Terastalized, you say? So it was you.
What?
How does it make you feel? The one you trusted most turning on you.
Horrible. I feel sick.
Is that all?
What more do you want out of me?
Poor, poor Hopper. Left behind every single time.
…
First it was your parents.
I never even knew them…
Ah, and then your grandfather. There’s a memory there, but I can’t make it all out.
Shut up. He didn’t leave me. He died.
There’s someone else now, too. I wonder how long she’ll last.
I told you to shut up!
Even if everyone else goes away or turns on me or whatever, I know there’s someone who will be waiting for me.
Someone very special to me.
She’s waiting there. At our special place.
Just past where I turned around last time. If I can press forward, I’ll find it.
The place where all my dreams will come true.
Push past a couple more trees and I’ll be there. I can feel it.
Just follow the sound of the water. I’m almost there!
The ground beneath me shifts from grass to weathered dirt. The rain didn’t reach here.
On the horizon, the sinking sun dyes the sky a vivid pink.
This is the place. Any moment now-
A breeze brushes past me from the water at my side. It’s gentle and refreshing. Without even taking a sip, I feel hydrated.
And across from me…
“H-Hopper…?”
A voice filled with love and care. I know it well.
The source is a girl clad in blue, though her fur is as white as snow.
I step forward. The first few steps are slow and cautious, but I find myself breaking into an all-out sprint before long.
With all the strength left in my body, I push myself across the clearing.
Tears run down both of our faces, though his is coated with blood and grime.
I feel all my pain wash away the instant we embrace, taking the blood with it.
“Hopper, is it really you?”
“Yeah, it’s me. I’m so glad you’re here, Eri…”
“Me too…”
The weight lifts itself from my shoulders, allowing me to appreciate his company with no reservations.
“Did you come from the house?”
“I did. And you came from Bark Square, right?”
“That’s right.”
I immediately understand what’s going on when I look into his eyes. I feel his pain, the sting of betrayal, and the resurgence of old wounds.
I understand her feelings right away. That feeling of being trapped and alone. Being powerless…
“Hopper, I’m gonna say something crazy.”
“O-Okay?”
She pulls me in tight. “I don’t want you to feel weak or helpless ever again. Wherever we go, I want to stand by your side and scream, ‘Look! This is my partner! He’s so cool, and I’m so proud of him!’ And I want you to feel the same way about yourself. I want to be there pushing you up, no matter how bad you feel.”
“T-That’s…” I find myself at a loss for words. “That would be really embarrassing if you said that to everyone.”
Her embrace grows even tighter. “I don’t care! I’m gonna do it, and you can’t stop me!”
“In that case…” I return the favor, lifting her up in a hug of my own. “…I want to help you do everything you set your mind to. I want to travel to all sorts of cool places with you, and be there to help you accomplish great things. As long as I’m around, and even when I’m not, I want you to feel like you can do anything in the world, even if others say you can’t.”
Tears roll down her face as a giant smile appears. “You mean it?”
“As long as you do. If we don’t travel, we’ll run out of Pokémon for you to gush about me to.”
She laughs. “Arceus, Hopper. You’re so damn sappy.”
“Hey, you started it.”
“True, true. We’re Team Earshot: the sappiest team you’ll ever meet!”
I flash a smile of my own to match hers. “We’re here to save the day with smiles and tears!”
After he sets me down, I continue. “You figured it out, right?”
“Yeah. The nightmare weaver put us to sleep, didn’t he?”
“He lives up to his title, don’t you think?”
He sighs. “Worst nightmare I’ve had, that’s for sure.”
“Agreed.” This asshole dragged up all sorts of jumbled stuff. How’d he even find some of that? Dragging up the mean girls from my high school is a real deep cut. “In any case, it’s time we wake up.”
“Right. We have a mission to finish.” Determination returns to his face, reminding me that this is, indeed, my Hopper.
“We have no way of knowing what’s going on outside. You ready for anything?”
Without hesitation, he nods. “Ready. Let’s do it together!”
“Let’s!”
If I know that I’m dreaming, then…
Real World Eri…
WAKE UP!
My head… is pounding…
Specks of frost land on my face. Usually I’m a stomach sleeper, not a back sleeper.
Crap, that’s right. No time for sleeping jokes, I have a partner to help!
I pick myself up and-
“Grand… pa…?”
He stands tall above Eri, his face shrouded in shadow.
She hasn’t fully woken up yet. Her eyes are still fluttering open.
His axe… it’s right above her arm.
Little by little, it descends.
Time slows to a crawl. I begin to stand, but I’m helpless in the meantime.
Lower and lower.
It pierces the sleeve.
Red.
Her eyes shoot open.
More and more red.
I can’t let this keep going.
I need to do something.
Time seems to stop.
At his current distance, I can’t close the gap in time. He’ll cut it off before I get there.
But hesitation won’t do me anything right now.
Something calls out to me. I hesitate to call it a voice or even a sensation.
No, it doesn’t ‘call out’. It thrashes against my heart and soul, begging to be released.
YOU NEED ME-
it says.
YOU’RE NOT YOU WITHOUT ME-
it claims.
Something forces it to stay inside.
DENY IT ALL YOU WANT, YOU KNOW IT.
This fragment of myself continues to deny it.
But what does the ‘real’, conscious me think?
Obviously, it doesn’t. I try to leave the thinking to my partner.
I don’t care whether this part of me is telling the truth, or if it’s good or healthy.
But if accepting it means saving Eri, someone I love, then fine.
The me that’s riffraff.
The me that’s trash.
The me that still has that spark, whatever the hell that means.
Hopper. The bug.
I’ll accept it.
It calls me once more.
IF THAT’S HOW YOU CHOOSE TO UNDERSTAND IT, THEN FINE. I SHOULD HAVE EXPECTED THAT OF YOU… OF US.
IN ANY CASE, ALLOW ME TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE PUSH. DON’T FAIL.
My body melts into the world around me.
I feel everything, but I also feel nothing.
The slightest gust of wind, the sound of falling snow, and the most minute movement of a branch.
I’m a part of it, and it’s a part of me.
Billions of tiny sensory details flood my brain, but I can make sense of it all. I’m in tune with it.
My feet kick off the ground. I fly forward with far superior speed than ever before.
“THAT’S ENOUGH!!!”
Somehow, I make it across in time!
CHK!
My foot rises to meet the handle of the axe, launching it away.
Red sprays from it as Grandpa stumbles back.
“GAAAAAAAAAAAAH!”
Eri shrieks beneath me. She’s regained her senses.
“ERI!” I scoop her up as fast as I can, dashing away from Grandpa.
“AGH… GH… GUH…”
I take refuge in the woods, propping her up in my arms.
“You’re gonna be alright, okay? You’re gonna make it through this, just hang tight.”
Words I can hardly believe myself, but I must.
I untie my armband and wrap it around her left arm. Her blood soaks it immediately.
“GRR…”
“Too tight?”
She shakes her head with her eyes shut tight.
“Good.” I lower my voice to a whisper. “Can you speak?”
She struggles to control her panting. “…barely…”
If she’s having difficulty breathing, then… “Here.” I remove her scarf. “Is that any better?”
She nods.
I won’t be able to fight if I hold this thing the whole time. I carefully pull it around my neck, tying it above my chest. It looks smaller on me than it does on her, but it fits just fine.
It’s funny, I feel at ease with this on.
What was it again? ‘Red is the color of heroes’?
Yeah, we’re going to be okay. I believe it now.
Alright, we applied pressure to the wound and made it easier for her to breathe. What would Hiraga do next?
Right, he’d try to ease the pain. An Oran berry will have to do. Thankfully I packed a few.
“Try your best to chew, okay?”
“Mm…”
I bring the berry to her mouth and put a tiny bit in, which she bites off. Her bites grow gradually larger, and she soon finishes the full thing.
“Better?”
“A little.” She tries to lift herself up, and I assist. “Thank you, Hopper.” She’s still breathing heavily, but it’s stabilized.
“Don’t mention it. I’m gonna go fight, okay? You stay out of danger.”
I begin to laugh, but it turns to a coughing fit. When I recover, I respond. “No, I’m going with you. Safer for both of us.”
“But how will-”
“There’s room on your back, right?”
His red eyes stare through me. His newly sprung antennae drift in the wind, and his scales shudder. And are those wings behind him? This must be… “I guess, but-”
Before he can finish, his eyes shoot to the side, staring through the tree blocking us.
He moves to push me, but I launch at him first.
It’s irrational. Why would I ever do this?
My arm is broken, and my squishy little body would fold to whatever attack Hopper’s anticipating.
BECAUSE YOU KNOW.
Huh? I know what?
THAT HE NEEDS YOU, AND THAT YOU NEED HIM.
Where are you going with this?
STEEL YOUR HEART TO MAKE YOUR LOVED ONES HAPPY… THAT’S WHAT WE’VE ALWAYS DONE.
Sure, but would that make him happy?
An Eri that shuts herself off to become a solemn protector, is that who Hopper would want?
Would he love that me?
Would… would I love myself?
DO YOU HAVE A CHOICE? YOU CAN’T RUN AWAY THIS TIME.
You’re me, aren’t you?
If so, you’re doing a real shit job at it.
That stupid nightmare weaver tells me that all I do is run away, and now you – my inner self or some bullshit – are spouting nonsense too?
Hop off it, will you?
I know myself.
For all my running, I know how to stand my ground just as well.
But even if I do, I’ll still be me.
I can do it all, alright! I can be his shield and be myself! Just watch me!
VERY GOOD. TO BE EXPECTED OF SUCH A SMART COOKIE.
MY POWER IS YOURS. DON’T WASTE IT.
A feeling wells up inside me. My heart grows heavy as steel, but it burns bright.
It’s the same feeling as the other day, when he fought Bryon.
And in the cave with Vincent.
Those five words.
‘I want to protect him!’
CHUNK!
The tree beside us is removed from its stump in one fell swoop, revealing our attacker once more.
When I stare into his eyes, an abyss returns the gaze.
It’s not him. It’s not him.
Another axe closes in on us. Every fiber of my being – from my nerves, to my muscles, to my soul – tells me to move Eri out of the way, but she’s tackled me such that I can’t.
Her tail shoots up behind her, and when the next axe strikes it…
CLANG!
Sparks fly. It tries in vain to cleave her tail off, but something keeps it from breaking through.
“Go… AWAY!”
Her body twists against the axe, pushing it back. I help her regain her balance after.
“I… can still do this… I’m going to fight, no matter what!”
I look into her eyes, but I’m distracted by a slab of metal covering her forehead and bangs. It resembles that of a warrior from a fairy tale, a metal headband with some sort of visor descending from it. Complimenting it is a shield on her unbroken arm bearing a crest of two ears: one chipped and one rounded. Her tail, too, appears plated with metal. It’s akin to a giant blade. Finishing the look is a pair of metal greaves.
All these accessories are visible, yet somehow otherworldly. I can touch and feel them, but they seem unreal. A manifestation of… something…
Is this it? Terastallization?
Either way, running is out of the question. The path is too messed up. It’s not ideal, but we have to stay and fight!
“Right, I’m sorry for doubting you. Hop up!”
I lean down and assist her onto my back. She wraps her good arm around my neck and sets the broken one over my shoulder. Her tail wraps around my belly for extra support. She’s a lot heavier than usual, but I can lift her fine.
While she’s getting on, I feel her make contact with four new appendages I hadn’t felt before.
I must be Terastalized too, then. Is that what the feeling from earlier was?
Whatever, no time to worry about it. That axe is winding up again!
“Eri, can I trust you to block?”
“G-Got it!”
Hopper spins around, putting me in the axe’s path. I didn’t think he’d have it in him to do this, but I’m glad he trusts me enough.
I release my arm and move it between me and our opponent. Blocking with the tail worked in the moment, but it’s not ideal. The plating leaves some room for it to hit me. This time…
CLANG!
…I’ll use the shield!
“Hopper, now!”
“On it!”
I’m spun around again, forcing me to grab his shoulder for balance.
I use my spinning momentum to aid my leg sweep, disrupting its footing and leaving it stumbling.
To my surprise, though, I notice that it’s falling towards me, rather than on its back.
Energy builds in my arm faster than usual, and I pull the trigger as soon as I have enough.
ZZT!
“ARGH!”
My small blast propels me out of its path, but a sharp pain shoots through my arm immediately after.
“You okay?” Eri leans her head over my shoulder, inspecting the arm.
“Fine, but that’s not supposed to hurt…”
She rolls up my sleeve, revealing strange scales and folds. They’re of a similar otherworldly nature to her metal adornments. Semi-transparent, actually. I can see my orange fur beneath. “So your senses are dialed way up, but your body is frail…”
I’ll leave the thinking to her. I’m our legs here, so I need to focus on the moment!
Grandpa’s phantom takes no time getting to its feet, plunging its axes into the snow and using them to get a leaping start. This style of movement isn’t like the Grandpa I knew. It’s bestial, like he’s imitating a towering quadruped. Even Blitz doesn’t move like this, though. He’s more precise.
Snow shifts around my foot as I pivot, leaping away without the aid of my electricity. I can still use it, but I’d rather be sparing.
As if mimicking me, it drifts through the snow with the help of a planted axe. Its momentum is uninterrupted, still bounding towards me at high speed.
So I’ll have to guide it into a tr-
I think we’ve made it far enough now.
“URGH…”
My head again…
Yet another voice… a woman this time…?
“Hopper?!”
Yeah, I’ve heard someone lives nearby. We can drop him off there.
And a man. They’re both familiar, but I can’t quite place how…
I’m so sorry for all of this. I never wanted things to end this way…
It’s… it’s not your fault, dear. Really. It’s that psycho.
Yeah but… I could have stopped it. If I hadn’t let it turn him into… into a -p-ci–n…
A what? So much static…
“HOPPER!!!”
CLANG!
My shield deflects an axe slap directed for Hopper’s face. But why a slap? It had no issue slicing my arm earlier. Why go easy on Hopper?
In our moment of safety, Hopper’s forehead falls into his paw. “My head… it’s killing me…”
Another headache? Mine feels fine, so it’s not a catch-all effect of Terastallization. Is it something to do with his specific typing, or his overstimulation from last time?
Regardless… “Come on, big guy, you’ve got this. Just focus on me and the enemy.”
“R-Right… I’ve got this…” He shakes his head wildly, doing his best to regain composure.
He launches at the enemy within a second of his recovery, dashing straight into the path of a descending axe.
I prepare myself to block or counter, but he instead zips beside it with a split second to spare. His foot kicks up snow as it slides, sending the small mound flying as he leaps into the air. I find myself dizzy as I’m spun around and around in his cyclone kick. Arceus, don’t let me vomit over his shoulder…
CHK!
Our spinning ceases as his foot lands atop the axe’s stem, forcing it to waver.
“Eri, cut!”
“Right!”
My tail swings like a pendulum, rising below the limb and, in a clean motion…
SHING!
CRSH!
The axe falls to the snow below, planting itself in the dirt.
Just before I finished my slice, Hopper was preparing to kick off the arm and disengage, a movement which he completes upon the limb’s successful removal.
Rather than blood, purple goo drips from the wound. More gushes out from the end of the grounded axe, too.
“What is this thing?” Hopper’s voice is still tense.
The fake Hopper from before is the key here. It’s not two different Pokémon; they’re one and the same! “It’s Ditto. He tricked me earlier, too.”
I remember reading about Ditto. “That’s the shapeshifter, right?”
“Bingo. You’ve had experience fighting a Kleavor before, haven’t you?”
“Yeah… we’ve got this!”
With one axe out of the way, the hardest part of this battle is behind us. Just gotta wear it down now. The limbs are frail, so they’re the sweet spots.
Next up is a leg, then!
I once again launch into a sprint, and the Ditto holds his other axe above his head as I do.
When will it learn? I’m reading it like a book!
The axe begins to fall, so I dodge right!
But it doesn’t fall all the way. Instead, it swerves around and moves in at my side.
I see it coming, but I don’t have the footing to dodge!
“I’ve got you!”
CLANGKSHHHHH!
It scrapes against Eri’s shield as I run, giving me the freedom to close in on-
But what if it finds him?
It won’t. We just need to believe.
“Damn… head… not now…!”
Hopper restrains from launching another attack, instead seizing forward in what must be another headache.
THUNK!
A clawed foot kicks against his ribs. I hear his jacket tear on impact.
“UKH…”
We’re both sent flying back, with Hopper landing on his back with me beneath him.
He’s heavy… I can barely move…
CRSH. CRSH. CRSH. CRSH.
It stumbles towards us. It’s clearly tired, but it’s got more fight in it than we do at this point.
Hopper’s barely moving. I need to do something.
Come on, big guy, get off me!
CRSH. CRSH. CRSH.
It comes to a stop.
The axe swings to the side like a club.
Towards Hopper’s head.
I can’t… stop it-
THUNG!
Impact. He slides off me.
“H-HOPPER! HOPPER, GET UP!”
His heart is still beating, and he’s still breathing.
Such knowledge does little to ease my mind right now, but it’s something.
“Stay back, damn it! I’m warning you!” I wobble around on my feet, standing between the two of them.
“You’re optional.” The beast’s first words all day. “Give up, or I’ll dispose of you.”
Give up? Optional? Which means that Hopper is required. But for what?
“W-Whatever you want with Hopper, I won’t let you do it! I’m not backing down!”
This thing is going to kill me. I can’t fight it.
I don’t even have the freedom to activate our audio distress signals. I can’t look away to reach the bag.
“So be it. Goodbye.”
The axe falls.
CLANGKSHHHH!
I hold it back with my shield, but what’s the point?
There’s nothing I can do to counter. I might as well just get sliced open.
At least I’ll die next to someone I love. That’s gotta be worth something.
Wait, sliced open?
Slice open.
Slice…
SLICE!
I whip my tail around, aiming for the beast’s torso.
SHING!
It divides into two.
“Ah.” It’s hardly even a syllable. Closer to a gasp.
CRSH!
Its upper half collapses into the snow, with the legs following suit. The entire body turns purple, coalescing into a goopy mess. Without another word, it slithers further into the forest, making sure to pick up the fallen axe on its way out.
As an adventurer, I should probably pursue, but I can’t leave Hopper here.
It’s cold. If we don’t leave soon, he’ll freeze in the snow.
But I can’t move him on my own. Not with this busted arm.
So, I do the only thing I can. I pull him up and set his head on my lap.
I retrieve my badge and press the center.
Pipipipipipipipipipipipipi-
And I scream.
“HELP! PLEASE, SOMEONE HELP!”
-pipipipipipipipipipipipipi-
Once every ten to twenty seconds, I continue to scream.
“WE’RE INJURED, AND WE CAN’T MOVE! PLEASE, HELP US!”
-pipipipipipipipipipipipipi-
My lungs grow weary. My mouth becomes dry.
“PLEASE… please… help…”
-pipipipipipipipipipipipipi-
‘At least I’ll die with someone I love’, right?
But… I don’t want to die…
And I don’t want him to die, either…
I want to travel everywhere with my partner… I want him to show me so many cool things…
We’re supposed to support each other, right…?
“…please… don’t let us die…”
-pipipipipipipipipipipipipi-
My eyes close. I slump over him.
“I won’t abandon you, Hopper…”
CRSSSSH. CRSSSSH. CRSSSSH.
The sound of steaming snow approaches.
I don’t open my eyes. I’m too tired.
Warm fur lifts me up. Hopper too.
-pipipipipipipipipip- CLICK!
A few seconds later, wind rushes at my face.
This warmth… is soothing…
I think I’ll rest… with him…
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