The darkest times

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The thick foilage overhead was blocking the evening sun's fading rays, enshrouding the Shadowhue Forest in an almost palpable darkness. Only very little light actually managed to reach the ground and to sparsely illuminate the surroundings. Between this darkness and the twigs and dried leaves that lay underground one could easily trip over a hidden root or alert a sleeping Pokémon.
Most Pokémon would avoid this place at this time of day as much as possible, much less go there voluntarily because of all these dangers and discomforts.
However Chie was different. She actually enjoyed wandering between the cold tree trunks, not having to worry about making a sound or walking into a tree by accident due to her levitative, visual and generally ghastly powers. And since few other Pokémon were capable of things like these the Shadowhue Forest was pleasantly empty and silent. Noone was around to attack her or to - and this was something Chie believed to be even worse - to try and befriend her. Not because she was mean or didn't want to have friends but rather because it could never end well. With her lifespan she would almost inevitably outlive whoever attempted to be her friend and then she would be alone again. Alone and hurt. And thus the Ghost type preferred to rather just be alone.
Alone where noone could hurt her...


(E 19-10=9)

"You really have not read more books?", the Duskull asked, thorougly surprised.
How could someone not have found at least a few books to read?
"We really ought to fix that some day.", she responded.
"Sadly my library has fallen victim to one of the Mystery dungeons but I am sure we can still find a few books. We shouldn't have to worry about only finding ones you have read already I guess."
The average Pokémon would probably not have noticed, but Chie was quite extatic about this sort of idea. Okay, actually pretty much any Pokémon would have noticed that. One result of Chie's lack of social experience was a complete lack to hide her emotions after all.

Noel let out a small laugh as she smiles at the duskull thinking about how much she loved books it was hard for Noel to get through a few without having to get up to do something but she mentally shrugged at this deciding that reading wouldn't be the worst of things to do.

"Huh sure sounds like fun any books you think would be good I'd give em a shot" Noel says with a smirk she was having fun with this Pokemon on the walk happy that no feral Pokemon had come to then during this time Noel thought it was very lucky to not have to fight in a dungeon.

"You really do love books." Noel says with a smile she had only met a few Pokemon who read where she was from though they were th nicest people Noel and her mother had met during visits to town as Noel hears about looking for books she hasn't read "ya I would be pretty surprised to see a book I know here" she says remembering she used to live far away from here

"Do you really think it would be a wise idea to say that?", Chie asked, grinning deviously.
"I have read many thousands of books. I love reading. And you think it would be a good idea to say you'd go read anything I like?"
Now this was an offer Chie would not refuse. How often did one get an offer like this to drag someone else into their hobby after all? Once she got back home she would have to make a lists. Rankings. Charts and graphs to find the most perfect books to draw this Riolu into reading more.
And then the Duskull began to wonder. Did other Pokémon feel about fighting in the same way she did just now?

Noel smirked and let out a small nervous laugh "well I've never really been known for making the greatest of agreements" Noel says sarcastically but that statement was a little true for the girl but the more they talked about it the more fun this sounded to Noel.

"So sure give me everything you got" Noel says with a enthusiastic smile she always loved a challenge and reading that many books sounded like a huge fun challenge to her

Now Noel had signed her own death sentence. To ask Chie to go all out pertaining to books was about as good an idea as going to the peak of Blackmist Mountain armed only with Normal and Fighting type moves. But the Ghost type would most certainly make sure for the Fighting type to acquire firsthand knowledge of that fact.
"Maybe you should try a psychologist. But if you really intend to go through with this, better prepare for staying at home for quite a while."
First however they should get out of this forest. It would not be easy to read if one were to constantly be interrupted by feral Pokémon after all.

All that went through Noel's mind was what did I just agree to as the fighting type laughed slightly at finding a psychologist she felt like this would be the greatest challenge of her life so far reading a lot of books.
... wow I must of not done much was all that went through her mind if this was the greatest challenge so far as she thinks about how to get home "well all we have been doing is walking forward so I guess we just walk the other way" she says with a small smile

"I don't think that would be a good idea.", Chie commented.
"We have walked so far into the forest, that it would be quicker to leave by simply continuing forward I'd say. Returning would just be more work and additionally we might run into those Pokémon from earlier again."
Indeed they had been in this forest for quite some time. Getting out now would be the best option, considering both of them would most likely be quite tired and the more tired they would become, the more difficult it would be to take on the battles they might have to face.

Noel gives a small nod she didn't really come up with any really good ideas so she chose to follow the duskull feeling like she would be in safer hands uh well ghostly hands following her as Noel looks in her pockets making sure she had some supplies in case they came across anything that would try to kill them.
Happy with what she had she kept going pretending she was full of energy but she was feeling pretty tired around now

Not getting a response from the Riolu, Chie too simply continued floating onwards, trying to find her way out of this now rather dreary forest. But just why did everything here have to look all the same? Sure, that was great if one wanted to relax and not have one's mind distracted as much, but it certainly wasn't helpful when trying to find one's way out of here.
There had been so many Pokémon in here before, so why had noone ever had the idea to put up some sort of signs around here, guiding Pokémon to the nearest exit? Or towards some sort of emergency shelter in case of a feral Pokémon attack? Actually, those really weren't bad ideas. Maybe Chie should talk to the guildmaster about this some day.

Noel swore quietly about this she hated the fact that mystery dungeons changed shape whenever Pokemon went into them if they didn't Noel could of made a map of the area so she wouldn't get lost here but she decided that it wasn't best to complain.
She kept walking along in the silence of the area until she remembers she was with someone so she looks at the duskull with a smile on her face "so anything else you'd like to talk about?"

"Sorry, nothing here.", the Duskull responded.
"I have not had much experience with conversation and thus I never really know what to talk about. Unless you have read "The Pecha Berries of Wrath" or "Metapodmorphosis" or some other book and would like to talk about it, looking in my direction for something to talk about usually is a hopeless cause."
Indeed there were many times the Duskull wished that she was better at talking with others. All those characters in the books never seemed to have trouble talking, but neither reading of their adventures nor talking to other Pokémon seemed to teach her how to converse better.

Noel shakes her head she hadn't been reading lately here and she was sure the duskull wouldn't of known any of the books she had read mostly because her mother had wrote some of them for Noel when she was a kid but that was beside the point it was still nice.
Noel threw her arms behind her head as she normally did when she walked she was happy for some reason she did wonder how far they would have to go she felt like running but she decided against it for reasons of the looking like a freak variety

If Chie would have known that Noel's mother had actually written books, she would most likely be beyond extatic for getting to know her. Author was one of the most noble professions the Ghost type could imagine. And so Chie looked up to anyone who had written something almost instantly.
What greater work could there be than to create things that allowed one's very mind to travel to worlds previously unknown, to inspire, to entertain and to bring joy to the masses?
They only were some lines on paper, but in the reader's psyche they became so much more. It was a fascinating thought to the Duskull. And it was part of the reason she loved books so much.

Noel just looks around the area for anything that could be good for something in the girls own mind she liked finding things to use for exploring when she comes across nothing she sighs and turns her attention back to the main path.
She then looks back at chie and decides on a question she felt like asking "so outta all of those books which one would have to be you're favorite?" She asks already knowing her favorite mostly because her list was so small

"My favourite?", Chie repeated in surprise, her single eye widening.
She certainly hadn't been expecting this question, especially not from the Fighting type.
"I really can't choose a favourite. That would be like having to choose your favourite child. And besides that different books are better in different moods and situations. It all depends on how you are feeling, how you want to feel and current events in your life among other things. There really are so many factors, that I can never understand how there can be Pokémon who can say with conviction that they have a favourite book. Well, unless that certain book had done something to save their life or that of a loved one maybe."