LIGHTNOVELONLINE Cosmic Quilt Guild
Chapter 7
Cosmic Quilt Guild
'"Everyone! Attack with all your might!" he called to his loyal troops.
With a swish of his red-tattered cape, Gallade descended towards the battlefield. This would be their last confrontation with the wicked Steelix. Once he landed, he sent wave after wave of Psycho Cuts from his sword-like arms, the arcs of purple psychic energy slamming against the Steelix's hard exterior as it groaned in pain.
Following right after the attack was a myriad of multicolored blasts and beams from behind Gallade, soaring past him and smashing into the Steel-type. The Pokémon heeded their captain's words, not relenting in their final push forward to victory. The Steelix's groan soon evolved into a screech of defeat, its winding body of metal crashing down to the ground, scattering wooden and stone debris in its wake.
The battle was won. Team Syndicate had saved the town of Ereon once again.
Shouts of cheers and praise of their beloved captain came from the crowd of once attacking Pokémo, with Gallade waving them off. It seemed the Volbeat and Illumise were returning back to the town once again, buzzing across the crisp night sky.
Gardevoir slowly descended down with her psychic powers, her dress gently swaying in the wind once she reached the ground. She then enveloped the heroic Gallade into a loving embrace.
"My beloved, it is over," she said with a sweet, loving smile.
"Yes… for now," Gallade replied, holding her close with his own tender smile.
The couple held their hug throughout the celebration of the town's hardy citizens. The firefly Pokémon's abdomens flickered a bright golden light into the dusky night, floating through the sky with their worries of a dark day fading along with their glowing radiance.
The town of Ereon was safe, for now.
THE END.'
Gloria sighed contentedly, closing the book she had been reading. She didn't think it was quite as good as the others in the series and wondered why she even bothered picking it up in the first place. It definitely was not for the 'cheesy' romantic subplot that Roark suggested she got it for.
She snatched the book's closed form with her teeth as she hopped off her bed. Already she had exhausted any amount of wait in her by going through her collection again. Now was the time to get ready; today was the big day.
She strode over to a nearby, almost full bookshelf, and slid the book back into its rightful place. Her next destination was her personal mirror, opposite a white dresser. Picking up a pale bristled brush next to the reflective surface, she began combing it through her colorless fur, smoothing out any loose curls and locks that appeared in her coat.
Gloria stared into her reflection, her eyes drilling into her copy in the mirror as she continued her assault on her coat. Without any distraction in her way for what lies ahead, her mind began to swirl as an idle thump began to beat softly in her chest, a few shallow breaths escaping from her.
'Today… today is, um, the day.'
Gloria scolded her inner self for being so redundant, but couldn't help still thinking about it, now that she was finally here. She huffed as she switched the brush to her other paw, trying at the same time to switch up her mind. She thought of yesterday's events, gritting her teeth at recalling everything that had happened that day.
'We were attacked.'
Not some random attack either - a coordinated one - with them at the wrong place and wrong time. A shiver traveled across her spine - only adrenaline pumped through her veins at that time. The threat of life or death was very real to them, and they were quite lucky to have dealt with a not so much experienced Pokémon either. She knew even both of their combined strength would not have taken Magmortar down.
The item training they had done prior, along with Liam's quick thinking, really sealed their victory. A small smile graced Gloria's worried features as her brushing slowed.
hey had won. They had bested a foe much stronger than they were.
Past the fears and shock of it all, triumph reigned in her heart. Right then and there, they had proven themselves not to just be any other Pokémon. No, instead they had proven themselves to be worthy of joining the guild.
She switched the brush to her other paw, working on her other side again. At that time, when that Magmortar fell to the ground, she wanted to jump up and down in utter joy. Still, her natural worry came in as she assisted Liam with his condition.
She wanted to laugh at that moment, and even now she wanted to laugh.
A more pleasant and calm thump in her chest replaced her brisk one. Even if there were no Pokémon to see them do that, she had, and that was all she needed to know. Now would be their time to show that to the guild, in whatever task they needed of them.
'I should really stop doing all of this. All of this worrying.'
The brushing ceased, believing she was adequately well-kempt. While Gloria wasn't one of those types of Pokémon to go to a salon all the time to groom their fur, she at least knew to make her best appearance today. Placing the brush back onto the dresser, she gave one final look into the mirror, analyzing her now aptly prim form, but mostly looking deep into her soul. It seemed to only reassure herself, repeating the words in her mind over and over. But at that time, an idea crossed it.
Gloria shifted her gaze towards the white dresser she passed, thinking slowly. The beat in her chest seemed to return, promptly ignoring her previous sentiments.
'Is it time already?'
She slowly plodded towards the dresser, her heart rate increasing once she approached the one drawer in particular that she had avoided for so long. Placing her paw under the latch of it, she pulled it forward, revealing its fabled contents to be seen.
Inside were two items; a stone, and a necklace with something attached to it. The stone was icy blue, almost transparent, and an unmistakable snowflake pattern carved into its middle as it radiated a chilly aura.
'When the time is right. When the time is right.'
She repeated the same words told to her young self before in her mind, hesitantly reaching a paw towards the stone, carefully trying not to channel any of the stone's power as she rested her paw on it.
'Ten years. But…'
She removed her paw from the cold stone, placing it against her chest, feeling the beating of her heart quite clearly.
'I still don't feel ready for this.'
She had entrusted her with this Ice Stone long ago and was told to use it when the time was right. She bit her lip as she fought with her inner self, trying to decide.
'Is the time right, though?'
Going back and forth in her head, resurfacing past memories - she decided. It would come later for her to take the next step. It still saddened her a bit, neglecting it again just as she had neglected her dreams for just as long.
'Just some more time, please?' she asked almost desperately, knowing she wouldn't get an answer.
She was about to close the drawer when the necklace caught her eye, filling her chest with the same nostalgic warmth from before. The Never-Melt-Ice pierced through the middle with some string. A little sloppily done, but she knew that it was made out of passion. Gloria still could remember the words told to her after she was given it. She reached back into the drawer, took out the necklace, and balanced it in her paw, before holding it to her chest.
'I've already made so many promises.'
Gloria smiled, pushing the drawer back into its original place. There would be a time and place for this all - she knew it. She went back to her plush bed and grabbed the cream-colored saddlebag that rested next to it. She opened one of the empty pouches and gently placed the necklace inside.
Whenever she was worthy enough to wear it, she would.
The rest of the pouches were packed with whatever else they had before, along with anything else she had that was suited for their stay at the guild. She did not know how long they would stay at the guild. Whether it was months or years. Despite wanting to enter the guild a lot, this was a new experience for her and Liam alike.
'It's all just ahead of us.'
Gloria threw the saddlebag around her side. She mentally checked everything off her preparation list as she marched to the door, opening it with a 'click'.
She stepped out into the hall, peering into the living room - quiet as ever. Her gaze changed to the couch, where a dark figure was snoozing, clutching her old blanket. Just as she had expected, Roark passed out not long after yesterday, apparently too tired or too drunk to reach his own room.
Gloria giggled softly as she tiptoed over to the couch where the Zoroark rested, snoring loudly as he usually did. She did not want to disturb him but needed to know exactly where Liam went, seeing as there were multiple hospitals or clinics he could be at. She pushed a white paw into his sides, the Pokémon mumbling something in his sleep as he clung tightly to the small blanket.
"Roark, I need you to wake up... Roark!"
Gloria ducked her head as a pair of red claws nearly sliced her, trying to drive away the offender away in self-defense. Roark's eyes snapped open, finally returning to this realm. He appeared to be conscious enough, as he lowered his arm and smacked his lips.
"Mmm… Breakfast time already, sis?" he asked, yawning and placing a claw over his mouth. He grimaced in pain, placing another claw on his temple. "Shoot, think you could send some cool air my way?"
A wave of chilled frosty air met his face. He sighed in relief at the feeling of coldness consuming his heat.
"You're a lifesaver, sis. Now breakfast?"
Gloria frowned, "Not this time, Roark. How much did you drink last night? And you should know what day it is!" she scolded, not bothering to tell him it was the afternoon already.
Roark's eyes widened, before chuckling. "Well, enough to give me a tiny bit of a hangover, I'd say. That Team Razor Claw... " He tapped a claw on his head. "Shared a lot of stories, so I went a little overboard on the drink department."
Gloria rolled her eyes, "Where did they take Liam? I hope you didn't forget."
The Zoroark laughed, "What kind of brother would I be if I did? He told me to meet you at some fountain after he got out the, uh-" he snapped his claws together before realization overtook him, "The one the both of you went after your little library trip."
'Ah, I hope he's all right, and ready for today.'
Roark nestled himself further into the couch, still clutching the small blanket and offering an amused look the Vulpix's way. "Well? I think he'd hate waiting all on his lonesome for his best explorer partner, y'know?" He continued, despite Gloria's intention to interrupt. "He looks fine, except being on the bit of charred side. Should take him back to Arceus and tell him he messed up your order."
She rolled her eyes and smiled. "Thank you, Roark. I, um, should probably go get him now, and head off to the guild and all." The Vulpix moved in to offer him a small hug, which he slightly leaned into. Once they parted, Gloria moved towards the front door, extending a paw to open the door.
"Sis?"
"Huh?"
Gloria turned around to see an upright Roark, still nursing his aching head, despite the smirk on his face.
"Are you excited?"
Gloria fiddled with her saddlebag, looking down slightly as a blush consumed her muzzle. "Terrified, but you know me," she said, looking up again.
"Of course you are, but trust me, you're gonna love it. More than being some schmuck who does errands like me. Plus, you get to see me popping in every now and then!" The fox started another round of laughter before suddenly stopping. "Hey, are you carrying that necklace still?"
Gloria nodded, that familiar warmth in her chest rising again. "Of course, whenever I feel that I'm worthy," she spoke, patting the special pouch of the saddlebag.
Roark nodded slowly. "And the stone?"
"When the time is right."
"When the time is right," he retorted back. "Just know, you're making me… them, proud by doing this."
The warmth in Gloria's chest skyrocketed upon hearing those words. Just one little step at a time was all it took for her.
"Well then, sis, see you on the flip side." Roark gave her a brief salute with a free claw, summoning a giggle out of her.
"I'll see you later, Roark."
With a 'click', the front door was opened as Gloria bounded outside, quickly shutting the door closed behind her. Roark collapsed into the couch again, holding his pulsing and agonizing head.
"It pays off, but man... being a good brother is hard work."
The white door to the small clinic closed after the nurses bid Liam farewell, who offered a wave of his paw in return. The afternoon sun beamed on his face, causing him to squint his red eyes at it.
'What an ordeal.'
For the previous night, he was holed up, or rather, laid on a gurney as the medically trained Pokémon there laced his body with some sort of purple-pink psychic healing power that he couldn't quite put his paw on what exactly it was. But he was not complaining, as it healed whatever pain from the burns he was dealt with that night. He was expecting them to stick a bunch of needles into him, but after that treatment of energy, they told him to sleep the rest away. The next morning he was free - just like that.
The oddities of this world continued to fascinate him.
Even if his blue fur had edges of black on them, he felt great. Looking around his surroundings, he knew he was in an area of Empyrean City that he had never been to before. An emergency or care district from the looks of it, with Pokémon rushing in patients, or patients themselves wrapped up in gauze walking around with walking sticks.
Yesterday, when Roark escorted him to this clinic, he agreed on meeting either one of them at the fountain both he and Gloria had been to previously. After giving his side of the story, Roark was satisfied with his answer, softly slugging him on the shoulder for his success and then taking his leave. Liam assumed the fox was probably drunk, but knew he meant well enough.
With nothing more to say or do, he crossed the busy streets of chatting Pokémon, through winding dark alleyways and open markets. He had an idea of where to go, using the Eden Theater as a landmark to judge his distance.
It was not long before he found himself in that familiar plaza, the stone statue of a Seadra spewing water from its mouth into the mini pond below. With the small amount of Pokémon present, Gloria or Roark weren't here from the looks of it. Not like he could blame them - yesterday seemed exhausting for Gloria and well, exciting for Roark to say the least. Once he reached the protruding stone benches, he hunkered down on them, letting his hind paws rest from their trip.
A lot of time seemed to appear in his lap, enough to comb through his thoughts. He scowled a bit as he felt 'it' again. Ever since he woke up today, some kind of feeling was in his mind. Like something was trying to worm itself into his brain or break into it. Sometimes it flared up, but it was a constant hazy feeling in his brain.
He did not think it was some headache, but it eluded many of his descriptions, though. Whatever it was, he tried to push it out of his mind with a shake of his head.
'Maybe memories?'
He would have chuckled at a thought like that if it didn't hurt him a little bit. He had been here - this world - or felt like has for almost a week. Ever since his first day of reflection, he felt like a blank, like he never existed.
It frightened him at first, but the thought of joining the guild and having that chance of restoring them eased a bit of that scare within him. Truly, he was afraid of confronting the possibility of him never finding himself again. But, it did lead to something different. The chance of him carving out a new him, without past intervention. Whenever he thought back to that map of Celestic, he wondered about all the regions that existed on this continent.
Endless plains of green, seas of sand, frozen forests, jaw-dropping cliffs and caves. That is what got his heart pumping; what made him think less of what he lacked on the inside. He knew Gloria had dreams of her own, so why couldn't he? Not just to know who was in the past, but who he can be now.
This was a fresh start, for both of them. He never lied to her when he told her what he wanted to do, or when he made that promise to her. To explore what was around him - uncharted territory, the unexplored. But in the end, would he find his own paradise?
A place he could truly call home in this odd world.
To create some kind of new him, an actual Pokémon, and not just an entity or ghost-like he thought he was. Was that wrong? To create some kind of artificial personality? It was funny to him, that maybe he was always just like this, and only rediscovered his lost passion.
But if he was different from the Pokemon he was now, then would he want to return to that state, or reject it?
'...'
Liam stopped himself from thinking about something like that - he wouldn't be in the right mindset now to determine that. Now was the time to think about the present with the guild. Roark had dragged them into this thing, and by extension, Liam too, with Gloria.
'Yeah, this is-'
"Hey! Liam ain't it?"
The Riolu's ears perked up, hearing his name being called, and that voice who said it in particular. It was familiar, female, and had an unmistakable country accent attached to it. It was an accent he found close to home for some reason.
"Buneary?" His head swiveled toward the direction of the voice.
Indeed it was Buneary, a joyous smile on her face as the brown lagomorph hopped towards him. She jumped up onto the bench, sitting right next to him.
"Yeah, I thought I recognized ya! That blank ole look you always have," she stated with a grin.
Liam sighed, "Yup, that's me. Shouldn't you be at the orphanage?"
Buneary's cheeks puffed out as she put her paws on her sides. "You know I'm not a little kid like my ma thinks! I'm practically a grown-up now, just like you guys!"
"Okay, you did seem to handle yourself fine in the Sunshine Grove. I'll give you that."
Buneary smiled smugly. "In a few years, I'll be just like y'all with the guild and stuff. Helpin' Pokémon, explorin' the world; all that fun stuff."
Liam almost facepalmed; they never told her they were not part of the guild when they went to 'rescue' her.
"You know, we actually weren't-"
She stopped him in his tracks. "Part of the guild, right? I already know 'cause Ma told me. But… you two are still going to become members, right? Gloria at least of all Pokémon?"
He nodded. "Today is going to be our very first day."
Buneary's eyes lit up at that. "Really?! That's so amazing, I got rejected like a bazillion times."
Liam met her starry-eyed gaze. "Well, maybe I can put in a good word that you were involved when we discovered the hidden Mystery Dungeon."
He was caught off guard by a sudden hug from the affectionate bunny. She then removed herself to speak again.
"Thank you guys, seriously! Ma is a lot less restrictive now that she knows her lil' girl is grown up, and not a baby 'mon anymore. I hope you're excited - maybe as much as Gloria should be!"
Liam looked up towards the cloudless blue sky, searching for that excitement she hoped he had. A thump in his chest reminded him - he was excited. "Of course I am. We're both ready for this. We've all got dreams, y'know."
Buneary seemed satisfied with that answer as she hopped off the stone bench, her eye still trained onto Liam's. "Y'all will come back to the orphanage again, right? Show me all the cool stuff y'all are doing in the guild?"
"Oh, you betcha we will. We practically owe you our invitation to the guild."
"Great!" She started to hop away but turned around. "Ma loves the necklace by the way!"
And with that final remark, she was out of his sight. Now, he was back to waiting again, if it were not for the visage of a certain silhouette crossing his peripherals. Turning to view it came the familiar frame of a small white fox - Gloria. A cream-colored saddlebag swung across her side as a wide smile encompassed her muzzle.
She quickened up her pace as Liam came into her view, scanning his slightly blackened body. "Are, um, are you okay…?"
"Yeah, and are you here for what I think you're here for?"
"Yeah, I'm ready. Are you?"
Liam pushed himself off the bench, brushing his chest as he stood up. She seemed more amped up than the past times they had spoken. He was happy to see that.
"Ready."
"Then follow me."
She motioned for him to head straight down the northern road, which would lead them straight out of the city. Short enough of a trip where it seemed to not wear them out, but long enough to where they could strike up a conversation along the way.
"Are you hungry? Did they feed you anything before you left?" Gloria questioned.
"Yeah, fed me some of the clinic food. Not as good of the stuff you make, though, but better than Roark's."
She laughed softly as they strolled through the hectic streets of Empyrean, talking about the previous day and the things they saw, how lucky they were in that battle, and Liam showering her in much-needed praise for her multiple saves of him, much to her modest nature.
He could see it beyond the many bumps of grassy green hills in his way.
Once they were out of the city proper, they took to the trail they had taken the days before. This new trail they took seemed to lead them further into the endless stretch of meadow and lush plains. A pleasant breeze ran through them and the fields of grass before them.
Liam rushed forward, passing Gloria as he ran up what appeared to be the final hill in their path. Once at the top of the path, he got a good look at the peculiar structure below.
It was a large purplish-blue building - its exterior walls were dotted with star-like yellow blots, giving the building the look of a full night sky. The architecture was a bit strange, with circular and more curved rooms of various sizes connected to a much larger room near the entrance. A slanted roof climbed above to a light purple dome-like design above one of the rooms. An opening through the dome revealed a long metal object pointed straight towards the sky - a telescope.
To the left of the building, a huge stretch of garden and farmland chock full of trees, berry bushes, and other kinds of fruits and vegetables were in abundance. On the building's right was a rectangular patch of paved grass and dirt, much like the path they were on now. Points of impact and scorched marks into it gave him the idea it was some kind of training ground.
'So, this is the Cosmic Quilt Guild? Someone must've really liked the night while making this place,' Liam thought.
Gloria soon caught up with the excited Riolu, gazing down at the same structure. She had seen it before many times, but she couldn't help but still feel a bit nervous, especially now.
Flying-type Pokémon whizzed above them as they descended toward the guild's main entrance. Despite not being in the city anymore, there were still tons of Pokémon near the entrance, and possibly more on the inside. The doors were wide open, allowing any Pokémon to enter. The both of them disembarked down the trail again once they were done taking everything in. Liam would have seen the inside of the place if it were not for a Pokémon blocking his path as they exited.
"Out of our way!"
Liam was pushed to the side as a Toxtricity stormed past him, followed by a large Pidgeot and a lanky Vigoroth, both seemingly just as angry. Before Liam or Gloria could say anything, the trio was gone.
'Why do I always get bumped into,' he grumbled.
The two exchanged looks and shrugs. But with the entrance now clear for them to enter, they took their first few steps into the guild.
The hall they were in was tall and wide. Liam could only refer to the large theater they were in yesterday, but a bit smaller. A decorated ceiling dropped chandeliers above them, lighting much of the room up that wasn't consumed by the outside light through the windows. The walls, just like the outside, had a cosmic appearance. The porcelain tiled floor beneath their paws was a checkered white and black color. However, the centerpiece of the room was a stone statue in the middle - a Milotic. Just like the Seadra fountain in Empyrean, it spewed water from its open mouth into a small fountain.
What was more apparent though were the dozens of Pokémon in the large foyer, mostly crowding around erected signs with papers, notes, and images attached to them. Liam was confused, but Gloria was thankfully there to correct him.
"Uh, the Pokémon here are part of established teams and come here for the jobs listed. The actual members of the guild are in the other sectors. Now..." She looked to the opposite end of the hall, catching an Indeedee that sat behind a wooden counter, happily chatting away with a Scizor. "We should go check in with Indeedee; she'll get all our paperwork done."
Indeedee and the Scizor paused their conversation once Liam and Gloria quietly rolled in. Realization flashed in Indeedee's eyes as she bent down to retrieve a clipboard and a black pen from the lower sections of the counter. An extremely saccharine voice then spilled out of the Pokémon.
"You two! I saw that form the Guildmaster made! You're that Vulpix and Riolu duo, correct?"
Gloria winced but remembered her words. "U-Uh, yes! We were advised to come today to start off as recruits?"
Indeedee nodded. "Of course! Please put down your age, place of birth and other information. It's useful for us to know once you're an official member!"
The Pokémon placed the clipboard and the pen on the counter, signaling for the both of them to start signing. This would be fine for Gloria, who didn't have memory loss, but for Liam, it spelled something different.
Luckily, on the way there, they perfected his 'backstory' he had partially given the Meowstics the day of the festival. Liam did not want to arouse any suspicion or get him or potentially Gloria kicked out of the guild if this was found out. The Vulpix didn't like the idea, but he reassured her that this was the logical way, and he would take full responsibility if it bit him in the future.
He didn't know his actual age, so he put himself at the same age as Gloria - eighteen. She told him about a village she had been to in the Shore Region before, so he marked that as his place of birth.
With all of their information taken care of, the Indeedee took back the clipboard and handed it to the Scizor standing next to the counter. Said Pokémon was giving her, and the both of them a watchful eye. Once the clipboard was in the clutches of its red pincers, it squinted its eyes as it read carefully. Liam was positive he put everything down correctly, but couldn't help the slight sweat forming around his brow.
"Everything seems intact," a stark male voice belonging to Scizor confirmed. He took one last look at the clipboard before nodding. "I'll alert the Guildmaster. Please stay here."
The tiled floors resounded with a 'clack' noise as the Scizor left them at the counter, disappearing into one of the corridors beyond the hall. They couldn't hear much because of the constant chatter, but it was not long before the Scizor was back with another Pokémon in tow. The Pokémon that came with him made Liam's eyes grow wide like dinner plates.
It was a Lucario.
That was not the most shocking part, though. This one was colored way differently than any normal Lucario he had seen in his book. Its natural blue fur on its arms, muzzle, and 'trousers' were instead a shade of yellow-gold. Its chest fur retained its blue coloration, if not a bit lighter than usual. He swore he could remember being told of something like this by Gloria. When they were in the Empyrean Museum, she showed him stories of something called 'Shiny' Pokémon. Apparently, they were Pokémon born with some kind of color mutation - harmless, but strange and rare.
The sharp red eyes of that Shiny Lucario also enlarged once it saw Liam, the two of them having a tiny staredown from the looks of it. Thankfully, Scizor was there to put a stop to it.
"Guildmaster, these are the two other Pokémon. You should be free to assign the three of them now."
The Lucario blinked. "Right," a gruff voice came out. "Then that means…" He took a step forward, raising a paw at the Vulpix in front of him. "Roark's sister, Gloria, correct?" A quick nod from the entranced Vulpix was all he needed. The extended paw then came towards the Riolu as the Lucario tightened it. "And you're... Liam?" The Guildmaster's eyes bored into the Pokémon.
Liam gulped, slowly nodding his head. He knew this was a true veteran in front of him - from the stare in his eye, the grizzled look, and the rough voice.
The Riolu noticed also something odd wrapped around the Guildmate's paw though. It was an orange ring, almost glowing. In the middle, there was some sort of rainbow-colored orb carved into the orange band, a strange symbol etched into it. The orb seemed to be bursting with some kind of energy, as Liam's aura tassels twitched a little whenever he caught a glance at them.
The Lucario withdrew his paw, keeping his gaze on them both. "I'm glad you two are here. I am the Guildmaster of the Cosmic Quilt Guild, but my name is Jackson."
Liam's mind seared with pain as he held a paw against his head. His headache from earlier when he awoke was back had come back with a vengeance.
Gloria snapped out of her own stupor. "Are you okay, Liam?"
Then, just like that, the pain was gone. It dissipated like it had got what it wanted and left. Liam let out a sigh of relief, loosening the hold on his head.
"Yeah, I'm okay."
Jackson cleared his throat with a paw. "Now, I see there is no further need to dawdle around. You two will begin your training mission. You may have found something in the Sunshine Grove, but we will need to know if you can handle yourselves at all." He swept his paw towards the halls. "You two, along with another recruit, will head to Soaring Falls. Here you will navigate through the Mystery Dungeon there and retrieve the package at the end placed by one of our members."
It seemed easy enough for a training mission. Yet one detail seemed off to Liam, as well as Gloria.
"Another recruit? I thought we were the only ones."
"ROCKRUFF!" Jackson suddenly yelled, shocking the two of them.
A scurrying noise emitted from the hallway Scizor and Jackson came from as a dog-like Pokémon came bolting towards them, a wag in its gray tail. It took its place near Liam and Gloria, who were a bit perturbed. It was indeed a Rockruff as the Guildmaster yelled out.
"I'm here!" a young jubilant voice barked out of the Rockruff.
Jackson nodded. "Good. Rockruff will join you two on your mission at Soaring Falls. While he is not part of your team, he is a starting recruit just like you - meaning you all will go through the same amount of training."
Rockruff gave a toothy smile to the two now friendly-faced Pokémon. "We're gonna be such a good du- trio!" he exclaimed.
"Then I hope there will be no problems," Jackson said. "The three of you should depart right away while the day is present. Head east down the crossroads, past the Sunshine Forest, where you'll find the Soaring Falls. Once you retrieve the package's contents, you will return to officially establish your team."
Scizor handed the Lucario the clipboard as the two of them retreated back into the hallway. Jackson gave the two of them, especially Liam, a parting glance before disappearing.
As soon as they were gone, Rockruff jumped up and down on all four paws, getting in front of both Liam and Gloria with a determined expression, and wag in his tail.
"Let's go! We're wasting time!"
"Man, this is booooring!"
Liam could not agree with Rockruff's complaints. He felt sometimes it was nice to take a slower pace and smell the roses, or in this case, the wide expanse of rock and clay before them.
Heeding the Guildmaster's words, they headed east past the crossroads. According to Gloria, Soaring Falls was a public place, so there was a trail that connected from the Sunshine Forest to it. Despite the presence of a Mystery Dungeon , it was a popular tourist destination for many that came to Celestic.
"Hey, Rockruff, why'd you join the guild?" Liam asked, wanting to at least have a conversation the long way there.
Rockruff almost tripped, "I joined the guild to get stronger, real strong!" A cheesy grin was plastered on Rockruff's face. "Cause then, I can return to my pack and show them I'm worthy of returning, and… not a screw-up!"
Gloria frowned. "Were you kicked out?" And, I thought packs of Lycanroc stuck together, like a family unit."
Rockruff shook his head, "Kinda. Mine was, like, a collection of different Lycanroc families, all traveling through Celestic. This stuff has lasted, like… generations, I think." He scratched his neck tuft with a paw. "Anyway, the pack leader thought I was too, uh… 'unfit' for me to continue with them. And seeing as I was growing old enough, they told me I needed to fend for myself."
Gloria's frown deepened, "That's horrible!"
"I know, right? I'm gonna become strong and famous in the guild!" Rockruff puffed his chest out. "Then, I'm gonna return and shove it in that stupid Lycanroc's face... the leader one, I mean!"
Other than poking at a sensitive spot in the Pokémon, Rockruff seemed okay to Liam. Sure he had tripped on rocks maybe five times on the trail, and generally was pretty clumsy, but he knew the guild would straighten him out, and even straighten them out, too.
The end of the conversation seemed appropriate, as they reached the end of the road after what seemed like hours. They were here, at the Soaring Falls. Before them lie a large gash in the earth's crust, which seemed to extend to a large lakebed at the bottom. Limestone and clay jutted out from the cliffsides; pieces of it tumbling down into the depths below. However, the most fascinating part was the cascades of downpouring fresh water from rivers run over by the gigantic ravine. Underground water also seemed to well up and pour from openings in the cliffside. Both factors created a sight that was amazing to the eyes, as multiple waterfalls seemed to sprout all across the cliffside, flowing down into the open crevice.
Liam grinned as he stepped forward, peering into the cliff below. There was an outcropping below them, and just close enough to where he could slide down there himself without harm. He took the chance. Narrowing his eyes, he placed his paws on the edges of the cliff face and placed his body against it.
"Hey! What are you doing!" Gloria shouted.
"I don't know, but he's got the right idea!" Rockruff retorted, grinning wildly.
She never got an answer from Liam as he slid down the rock. It hurt a bit, with the stones grinding against his back, but it was worth it, as his destination was becoming closer and closer. Doing this, it became increasingly clear what that talk he gave himself earlier really meant.
'This is what I was born to do.'
His hind paws touched the ground as he distanced himself from the rock wall, cupping his paws over his mouth to shout at the two still above him.
"Jump down! There's no easier way!"
Rockruff did so without so much of a second thought. The excited Pokémon leaped off the cliffside, landing near Liam's side with a 'thud'. Next was Gloria's turn, who just watched each of her companions jump into a treacherous ravine. Both Liam and Rockruff shouted words of encouragement for her to join them below.
She gulped as she approached the edge, a little shake in her paws. The stretch of land where the two of them were was wide enough, but what was below it almost made her fur stand on end.
Gloria closed her eyes as she jumped, daintily falling to the outcropping below. Once she felt the rocky ground on her four paws, she then slowly opened her eyes, blushing uncontrollably at her embarrassing display. Nonetheless, the Vulpix was congratulated for her bravery by the two others.
The outcropping of rock extended around the cliffside, creating an easy path for them to follow around the falls. They made sure to stick to the walls of rock as the crashing of constant water resounded around them. They knew if one of them fell down, it wouldn't be pleasant. The little pathway in the cliffside led them to a much larger outcropping - a hole that led into the cliffside. It caught Liam's eye, a hint of familiarity as he looked into it.
Rockruff thrust a paw. "Right there! Mystery Dungeon - bingo!" He sprinted off toward the opening,
It was just like the other ones. Nothing could be seen in the cave as a shadowy abyss blocked any light from entering or exiting.
"I'll see you two on the inside!" Rockruff yelled as he bolted into the darkness, not giving either of them so much of a word to counter.
"Are you ready, Gloria?"
She tapped her saddlebag with a paw and nodded. "Ready, but… how exactly are we going to get out?"
Liam hadn't exactly thought of that, but he still wanted to reassure her. "We'll get out, don't worry. Now, the dungeon?"
"Um, right."
They stepped into the gaping darkness.
Soaring Falls
BF 1
And just like the other ones before, the new reality they were in expanded around them. Rocky, jagged limestone walls erupted into place, forming their atypical maze-like placement. Water flowed from nowhere above them, spilling onto the floor and creating mini ponds. Water-type Pokémon also appeared out of those newly created ponds, eager to attack the arrivals.
Rockruff took a deep breath as a large rock formed around him. Just like Gloria's Ice Shard, he launched it at his opposing foe - a Wooper. It smashed against the Water-type's head, exploding into orange light.
Liam knew he was a Rock-type, and was generally at a disadvantage when it came to Water-types, but Rockruff didn't seem to be bluffing about wanting to become stronger. He quickly formed a Force Palm, slamming it into the side of a Totodile trying to pounce and bite him.
Gloria was making good use of her new Frost Breath, keeping the waves of Water-types at bay. Most of them simply froze, literally - when it came into contact with them.
Soaring Falls
BF 3
Liam grunted as he was knocked back into one of the rocky dungeon walls. A Drednaw had tackled him.
His option to run to the sides with a Quick Attack was gone once the Pokémon closed its distance on him. Noticing the bind he was in, Gloria popped open a flap in the saddlebag, retrieving a red Blast Seed. She placed it on the ground and lightly kicked it towards Liam.
It slid underneath the belly of the huge Water-type and right next to Liam's hind paws. He quickly picked it up and tossed it into his mouth, making sure the positioning was just right. With a crunch, the backside of the seed exploded, sending a roar of yellow flames erupting from the seed and directly into the Drednaw's face.
BOOM.
PING PING PING.
Following the rush of flames, Gloria sent a volley of her Ice Shards into the bulky Pokémon. Rockruff also participated in the attack by launching his own Rock Throw, smashing into the Pokémon's armor-like shell. Roaring, it collapsed to the ground in a fit of glowing orange light.
Once the Drednaw was defeated, Liam stopped to take a breather.
'Never get tired of using those things…'
Soaring Falls
BF 7
There were way too many Pokémon in this room - far more than any Liam had seen before on a floor. Pokémon seemed to appear from any crack, any pool of water, sometimes out of thin air. They could never hope to get out of this unscathed without being swarmed. The three of them were being backed into a corner - literally. They needed to think of something quick, or else they wouldn't come out of this, alive even.
"Gloria, the orb! Remember!" Liam shouted, motioning to the saddlebag.
She nodded, opening up another flap and bringing out a pink orb. It was a Knockback Orb, capable of blowing away an entire room of Pokémon. She dropped it onto the ground and smashed it with her paw, releasing a sweeping wave of pink energy and sending the encroaching mob of Pokémon careening into the dungeon walls.
This was their chance.
The three of them sprinted down one of the corridors, Liam taking the time to voice his much-needed concern at the craziness they just witnessed.
"Why... why were there so many of them?! There were never this many before!"
Rockruff nervously laughed, "W-What? You new to dungeon crawling? Monster Houses are, like... the bane of every explorer's existence! Man, I hate them!"
They took a right turn down the hall. Liam was even more confused, but Gloria was there to set him straight.
"A, um, 'Monster House' is a floor in a dungeon with tons of Pokémon coming from everywhere. You're not in for a good time if you're unprepared for them."
Liam silently thanked that they had bought so many orbs and seeds. Clearly, they would need more of them if this were going to happen in the future. The next right in the rocky corridor led them to exactly what they wanted, the staircase further into the dungeon.
It seemed that the many floors of the dungeon were over. This dungeon was the toughest yet, and they did not think their future expeditions were going to relent any time soon.
Liam took a large bite into his Oran Berry. While he was not on his last legs, he had suffered some blows. Gloria took small bites out of hers as well. Rockruff declined a berry, saying he was tough enough to handle any pain, despite the two clearly seeing him whimper and limp a bit.
They took this small moment to rest and admire the massive chamber the trio appeared out of. The chamber was extremely tall, like they were in a hollowed-out mountain rather than the inside of a cave. Large openings in the ceiling allowed pillars of water to flow down into the cavern below, crashing into a larger flow of water. This sweeping current flowed all the way to the large mouth of the cave, where it met the blinding light of the outside world.
Their brief enchantment with the view was cut short as the voice of a distant Pokémon echoed throughout the chamber.
'Arceus. Now I gotta sit and wait here for Talonflame. Why didn't the Guildmaster leave the errand boy stuff to Roark.'
Liam blinked, stopping his chewing. He recognized that arrogant tone - Monferno. Gloria did as well as she set her berry down, curiously tilting her head. However, Rockruff didn't seem to know that same fact, his blue eyes widening in horror as he darted to where he heard the voice coming from.
"That thief is going to steal the package we need!"
Liam wasn't sure if Rockruff had either misheard those words or if they had misheard Monferno's. But it did not matter as the puppy Pokémon was already long gone, in pursuit of the supposed thief. Liam and Gloria ran after the Pokémon, shouts of him to stop came afterward as they crossed a bridge-like structure hanging above the rushing current.
Monferno was not having a good day, or at least, it was a boring day compared to the other things he had done previously. He set the wooden chest down on the spot where he was told to put it, setting the gold buckles of it just right. He sighed, for he would now have to find a hiding place and wait for the 'newbies' to arrive, or Talonflame. His thoughts on just where to hide were halted exactly when something barreled right into his backside. The chest was sent flying as he hit the ground with his unknown attacker.
"STOP, THIEF! This is the guild's property!" Rockruff growled, trying to wrestle Monferno into submission.
"Thief?! Get off of me, you mangy mutt!" Monferno backhanded the Rockruff, getting up and brushing any dust or grime that gathered on him.
"Monferno!"
Liam and Gloria caught up, albeit a bit late, the scuffle between the two already over. Monferno 'tched' once he caught sight of them.
"Well, you finally made it. I thought you guys would be going around in circles." He shot a look at the Rockruff he was just fighting with, the puppy Pokémon's ears drooping. "Anyway, at least now you can finally claim…" His words stopped as he stared at the spot where the chest used to be. "Oh… that's not good."
Liam stepped forward, a bit confused. "What's wrong?"
Monferno looked ahead, a laugh beginning to build within him as he pointed at something being carried away by the stream.
"That."
'That' was the chest carrying exactly what they needed in this mission, bobbing in the water. Liam's mouth parted; he knew exactly where it was going.
"Oh no…"
Monferno could not help but laugh. "So yeah, we might need to go back to the guild and- hey!"
Liam jumped into the water. They could not fail in their mission - this was something he would not take a chance on.
"Come on, Gloria! Rockruff, with me!"
Rockruff shrugged away current feelings as he bounded into the water with little thought. Gloria was more hesitant on doing so, obviously, but two determined sets of eyes gave her the courage necessary to jump in as well. The strength and force of the current sent them further down the chamber. None of them could move or attempt to fight the flood of water moving them forward.
Monferno happily sighed, well aware of what was going to happen. "Ah, the trial is always the best part. Now, for my ride down…"
As the three of them got closer and closer to the mouth of the cave, it became increasingly clear that this was no small drop. In fact, the current seemed to lead directly out of the cliffside and into the lakebed below.
Gloria shoved a paw into her mouth to prevent her from screaming. Liam was analyzing the drop, just trying to figure out if they would even survive a fall this long. Rockruff's eyes bulged out of their sockets as he got a good look at what was now their fate.
"Guys…"
No more words were able to be exchanged as they drifted helplessly to the edge of the mouth. The outside world greeted them once the water gave them one final push needed for them to be launched out, beginning their hurtle to the lake below.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"
SPLASH.
Water flooded into Liam's open mouth - he was still conscious. He slowly flicked his eyes open, looking at his surroundings. He was underwater, or at least that's what he figured from the massive amounts of blue around him.
SPLASH. SPLASH.
Two muffled splashes confirmed that Gloria and Rockruff had also just landed in the same water as he had. Their flailing had confirmed to him they were just as conscious as him. Liam kicked his hind paws back in forth, pushing his arms back and forth as he swam to the surface. His head popped out from the water, coughing up any water that had entered him.
Two other Pokémon resurfaced as well, hacking out their lungs. All of them took deep ragged breaths, either trying to calm themselves or getting some well-needed oxygen into their system. It didn't take long for Liam to readjust and figure out exactly where they were.
'We... must've... got spat out over the lakebed... near the bottom of this ravine.'
He knew he was correct when he looked upward, seeing just how far down they were. The view from here was just as amazing if not more than the one above. Getting a good look at all the different waterfall openings over the cliff faces. Spontaneous laughter slowly bubbled within Rockruff, causing Liam to refocus his attention back on them. Rockruff kicked his paws in the water as he laughed, greatly shocking the two of them.
"W-What's… so funny?" Gloria managed, still a little shaken.
"That... that was so FUN! It was so scary at first, but then it got super fun at the end!" Rockruff kept his goofy grin.
Liam could not speak for Gloria, but he could admit that it was a bit of fun in retrospect. Mostly when the threat of their imminent death was out of the question. He narrowed his eyes, thinking back to what they were trying to do again.
'The chest! Where is it!'
He scoured the lake around him, looking for any hints of something wooden or gold colored amongst the sea of aqua blue. He stopped himself as he honed in on something floating in particular. There it was, what they were after. While Rockruff was still laughing his guts out, he paddled his way over to the chest and grabbed it. He held it firmly, not allowing for it to get past them any longer.
"Guys! I got it!"
Now he needed to find a place where he could get out of this lake. He scanned his surroundings, making a note of some slanted rock he could use as a landing shore. Rockruff finally stopped his manic laughter and followed the Riolu. A now much less shaken Gloria followed closely as well. Liam swam to the rocky shore, water gushing out of the chest as he trudged onto the land. He placed the chest down onto the ground with a 'thunk'. Both Gloria and Rockruff seemed to come ashore just as he did so, shaking their fur and sending water droplets everywhere.
When everyone was on the same page as him, Liam decided to open it. He released the golden buckle in the middle of the chest as the top of it flew back. He stepped a little closer to take a good look inside; what was inside, however, only confused him.
"Scarves…?"
Or at least, that's what he assumed the bundle of soaked cloth was. He fished one of them out of the tiny pool of water they resided in. It was a shade of purple-black, with specks of yellow dotting the background. It resembled the night sky and the guild's theme. There were three of them in total, one of each for them. He tried wringing the one in his grasp free of any wetness, but it was futile.
"Woah," Rockruff said flatly, a far cry from his previous mood.
The Pokémon dove into the chest, retrieving one of the other scarves present. Gloria did the same. They then spent the next few minutes attempting to dry their scarves. In the end, each one of them had it wrapped around their neck, flinching a bit at the cold, slimy feeling.
Gloria's eyes widened. "How exactly are we going to get out of here?"
As if on cue, a flap of a Pokémon's wings above them sounded out. Looking up, they could see the outstretched black and red wings of a Talonflame in the sky. Realizing it was going to land right on them, they moved out of the Flying-types way. A gust of wind blew through the area as the Talonflame landed on the smooth rock.
Monferno hopped off its back and dusted himself off. "Well, I see the trial was a success, seeing that you're not floating corpses in the water." He stopped to take a look at the necks of the still-stunned and motionless Pokémon. "Oh! And you got the scarves - excellent. Now, get on so we can go home." He patted the back of the Talonflame before springing himself aboard again.
Liam blinked. "Woah, woah, woah - what do you mean 'by trial'?!" He waved his arms angrily. "And you could just fly down here anytime?"
Monferno laughed, "Well, let's just say what you three did is common. So much so that it's a trial by fire to many members. Or, should I say, trial by massive freefall, ha!" That sent him deeper into laughter, wiping a tear that formed in his eye. "And didn't you guys know this was a public area? Free rides anytime."
The Talonflame chirped in agreement, splaying its wings out. Monferno patted the bird's back again with a palm, with silence encompassing the dripping wet Pokémon.
The Fire-type waved. "Come on, it's gonna get dark soon! And I got a comfy and dry bed to be resting in by now."
It was nighttime, and they were back at the guild waiting in the lobby, sitting on the Milotic fountain, still dripping excess water from their fur. The teams of Pokémon crowding the room evaporated, either content with the jobs they got, or forced out once it got dark enough. Either way, it was just Liam, Gloria, and the sweet Indeedee behind the counter from earlier.
Monferno and Rockruff checked in with her already, since they were part of an already established team. For Liam and Gloria, it was a different story. They still needed the Guildmaster to officially have them entered in as a newly formed team, according to Indeedee.
Gloria had brought up the idea of it, so the two of them spent quite a while of their wait brainstorming a name for their team together. But Liam could only picture one name in mind. Almost every one of them had a dream - Gloria, Rockruff, even him. The guild seemed to be a prime opportunity for many to fulfill that wish. If that was the case, then this was their way of remembering that wish. In their long wait for the Guildmaster, they both nodded in agreement as to what their name as a team together would be.
Soon after their finalized decision, they heard the 'clack' of the porcelain floor as Scizor appeared from down the hallway, clipboard in his grasp and the Guildmaster, Jackson, behind him. The two of them quickly hopped off the fountain, straightening themselves up into a formation for the Guildmaster to assess them. Jackson's steely red eyes sharpened once he caught a glance at the black scarves wrapped around their neck. But once he noticed the soaked and dripping state of them, a smirk tugged at his lips. It was snuffed out once he got in front of them, adopting a more professional stance as Scizor took to his side like before.
The Lucario crossed both arms behind his back. "This is good - you have returned with the essentials. I assume you know what is next in this process?"
Both Liam and Gloria nodded.
"If you're ready, tell me what your team shall be called."
They told him.
"... Requiem?" They nodded again. "Then Team Requiem will be the team you're known by." Scizor scribbled something down on the clipboard he was holding as Jackson looked to his left. "Scizor."
The Bug-type halted his writing. "Yes, Guildmaster?"
"Take them to their room. I think they deserve a good rest and... drying off after today." He focused his attention back on the newly established team. "Tomorrow, you will join us in the morning with the opening address. Then you will be given this guild's mission statement - one that you will adhere to your entire time in this guild."
Scizor motioned with a large red pincer towards the hallway. "Team Requiem, follow me to your dorm."
They kept a small pace as they traversed the remarkably large hallway. On each side of the walls was a wooden door, which Liam assumed led to the rooms of other guildmates. Along the way, some doors opened as Pokémon popped out to take a good look at the rookies who were joining them, some laughing and smiling once noticing their doused fur and scarves.
"Woah! Looks like they went through the trial, too!"
"Look, Mightyena, you're not the only one who went through the trial!"
"W-What? I wasn't?!" a voice barked out.
Scizor then stopped at one wooden door in particular. "This will be your residence at the guild for now. I hope you find it to your liking, and please make sure you attend the morning address. Goodnight, Team Requiem."
The Pokémon was already long gone before they could even give him a 'thank you'. So, without anything else stopping them, Liam pressed down on the handle as their room came into view, both of them stepping inside and closing the door behind them.
It was fairly small - understandable when housing lots of Pokémon. Instead of a porcelain floor, it was instead a shaggy carpet. It reminded him of Gloria's house, except less comfy. While the room was dark, the moonlight from a circular open window allowed them to get a good look. Bookshelves, dressers, and mirror-lined the night sky-themed walls, with posters and banners full of information or motivational messages hung above them. Near the window were two white bean bag-like beds, or at least that is what Liam assumed they were.
Gloria lumbered over to one of them like she was possessed, falling on top of one as she sighed in relief from the comfort. "I'm tired," she said, almost lifelessly.
Liam chuckled as he joined her in resting on the opposite beanbag. "Yeah, today was a crazy day, wasn't it?"
'Just like yesterday, too. Are things only to get more and more crazy?'
Thoughts like this melted in his mind as he melted into the warm embrace of the 'bed'.
No more words were exchanged as the two of them lulled themselves to an almost catatonic state before sleep won them over. The last thoughts swirling through their head weren't ones worrying about the future, but simply enjoying the moment they were in now.
The quiet night full of blinking stars kept a watchful eye over the Cosmic Quilt Guild, with someone else keeping their eyes on the skies as well. It enamored them, just like it had their previous life.
Starlight, star bright! With all your might, shine a light... on our child tonight.
Want to discuss anything related to The Phantasmagoria with the author himself? If so, send a friend request to my Discord linked below!
Discord: z2h2z
Next Time: Ley Lines