Exciting Things to Sea

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The libraries at Windrose had been surprisingly bare when it came to the oceans. That was only natural, she supposed; they were difficult to explore. But the urge to see a niche filled had tugged Robin towards the Coral Forests, where she sat perched on a large, white piece of dead coral. She sat with her paws tucked under her body, sketching a rough picture of the world below - at least, as best as she could glean it underneath the rippling water. Drawing with only your mouth wasn't a fate she would wish upon most pokemon.

The end result... wasn't anything impressive. Especially since she only had her single pencil, leaving her to roughly label the pieces as 'red' or 'yellow', shattering any lingering illusion. Oh, well. She hoped she could express in words what she clearly couldn't through pictures. Her pawprint in the lower right corner and a hastily scrawled 'Robin P.' might have even implied she was proud of her work, that childish mess of squiggles and unrecognizable shapes. No, it was just a reminder for later, nothing more.

It was no sooner than she thought of how humiliating it would have been if anyone saw the blasted thing then, as she turned to tuck her pencil back into her bag, a sudden gust of wind swept it away into the sky. Oh, no. Oh, no. It would either fall into the water and get ruined, leaving her to re-draw the coral - which was unacceptable, that had taken so long - or, worse, someone would find it. And trace it back to her.

"Oh, no, no no no no no, come back!" Robin plunged into the water before she could think, following blindly after her picture, even as the wind held it tauntingly out of her reach, fluttering dangerously above the water.

Oh, this was not her day.

Robin's Energy: 6

Alki leaned into Robin's hug, the cold touch of the fox not mattering much to her. It was just nice to feel someone else's touch... She was going to miss Darcy's touch, her sister resting besides her, the warmth from her body transferring to her's, Darcy's tail slowly travelling down her back, comforting and reassuring... And now she'd never feel that again... Alki buried her face into Robin's fur, trying her best to steady her own breathing. What was Robin saying? Probably non-sense and lies, simply designed to make her feel better even though she knew she didn't deserve it.

She was a bad person. She was selfish, to want to be happy as a thief. That much was clear to her. And how could Robin possibly know what it was like? She was smart. A scientist! Friendly and kind and caring and Alki was none of that. She was a stain. The best thing she could do for the world was be erased. But... Well, why disobey? Robin was... She might be one of the only people left who could even tolerate her.

"O-Ok..." Alki managed, closing her eyes as instructed, trying to imagine the world just like the scientist requested. How could she have been exaggerating it, though? If it wasn't her fault, who's? Who else could have healed that explorer's leg? She'd been the only one capable, and she'd failed. Who had it been who'd used the wrong orb to target the Vaporeon? ...Who had angered the Glaceon enough to start cutting into her sister...?

There was no one else who could be at fault, and that only left Alki... She wanted to scream. Alki began to shake as she buried her face deeper into the Vulpix's side, lightly grabbing a bunch of fur, trying to steady herself. How could no one else hate her? Her parents had hated her from the start... She'd been too small. A disappointment. She'd been easy pickings at the pond. If people didn't hate her, they sure had a funny way of showing it... And if they hadn't had a reason to hate her from the start, everyone had a reason to hate her now...

"It's not just one spot, I've been a failure my whole life! No one likes me! You'll hate me eventually too... And yes, I hate myself." She began, pulling away suddenly to look at Robin. "There's nothing about me to like. I'm tiny, even for my species. I'm weak. I... c-can't even read. I'm stupid." Alki trailed off, unsure of what else to say. Why bother? It was obvious what her opinion on herself was.

Still, no matter how much she tried to move on, she couldn't remove Robin's words from her mind. It'd be nice if not everything was her fault...

Darcy, meanwhile, watched the developments silently. Despite her anger, and everything she'd said, a portion of her still couldn't help but have pity for the girl in front of her. She was still so young, and so small, and despite how pained she'd been to learn of her sister's decision, she still... She hadn't changed much, had she? She was just like she'd remembered her, before she'd found out.

"...I never asked her to do any of that." Darcy said simply, unsure of what to make of her newfound emotions. "We would've been fine on a team. Just... us two. Why... why do all my teammates leave me...?" She asked, her voice quivering as she looked away from the puff and the fox. "...Why does everything have to be so complicated? I... don't want to hate her. But I feel I have to. She lied to my face for..." Darcy trailed off, trying to look Alki in the eye, but unable to match the gaze of her... former... partner. "... How long...? " She said instead to Robin, who seemed much... easier to talk to.

To Robin's disappointment, her words didn't seem to be getting through. She wasn't sure there was anything she could do. Scars like that were far too deep for a simple conversation to heal. "There's nothing about you to like? You've been with me and stayed levelheaded even when the world starting getting warped. You keep trying even after you've failed, and you have a good heart. You've only ever meant well. So you're virtuous, and you've been kind to me. You're resilient to stay alive after so many failures, you're brave to keep trying after you've made mistakes."

It was... the slightest bit frustrating, knowing that her words wouldn't reach very deep. But the way the little puffball leaned into her touch was reassuring, somehow, a sign that she'd done something. If she'd helped her even a drop, it was worth it, wasn't it? "It doesn't matter if you can't believe those things yet. Because I know they're true." She concluded, giving her a gentle headbutt before turning back to Darcy.

"... it doesn't have to stay that way. It's your choice, Darcy. You can make amends, if that's what you really want." She urged gently, at least grateful that the Skitty hadn't shot her own words back in her face. That was something. Progress, she supposed. It sounded like she was considering making up... possibly. Or at least, she could potentially be convinced of the idea. At least, it wasn't the hard no that it was minutes before.

"Your sister doesn't hate you. And deep down, I don't think you hate her, either. Am I right?" A moment of silence, then, her voice feather soft. "I'm afraid that's the world, Darcy. It's... complicated. It's messy, and unfair, and everyone is just trying to do their best with the choices and consequences they've been dealt."

A beat, then, and a sharp inhale as Robin gathered her courage.

"And you have another choice to make now. That's... all that I wanted to say."

Venusian carried out 5 launched of one Coral Forest :

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Venusian carried out 5 launched of one Echo World :

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"W-What's the point of being virtuous if I can't d-do anything with that? A-and... I'm not even v-virtuous. I'm selfish f-for w-wanting to be happy e-even if i-it hurt her... Alki managed to say, her voice steadying, although it didn't manage to sound any less broken. "W-What if the b-best thing I can d-do for everyone is t-to stop trying...?"

Alki quivered, become more and more unsure as to whether everyone else was right. She'd considered it in that electric prairie, but had decided against it because of the Skitty beside her. And now look! And in the town square with Yera, she'd said all of that and the Deerling has spent the night to try to cheer her up, but Alki had just ruined Halloween for the both of them. And now...?

Why was she so sure of something like that? How could Robin know if she was nice? Maybe... What if she lied? What if she said she'd murdered someone; pushed them off a flight of stairs or off the city in the sky, or taken her hidden power to their throat and cut them, murdered them... Why could she only picture a Jigglypuff on the receiving end of all of these things?

She hadn't done any of that, though. And she didn't want to hurt anyone. But maybe if she lied... Maybe then they'd hate her like she deserved? "How can you be sure...?" She said instead, pushing away all the sudden, unwelcome thoughts in her mind.

These things were unbelievable to her. But geez, how badly she wished they were true... Alki blinked and retreated back into herself, holding her feet tightly against her body, as if attempting to hug herself, as the Vulpix grew apart from her.

She watched as the Vulpix turned to speak to Darcy now. She'd been silent, until just now. She hadn't asked Alki to be a thief, but she needed the money! She'd always said that, for mum... And they had been fine on a team, more than fine...

How long had she lied? She didn't want Darcy to hate her either... The Vulpix finished her retort, and a silence hung in the air, thick and questioning. The waves lapped softly against her body, splashing foam towards her. A dull hailstorm that she'd never noticed start, continued.

Finally, Darcy spoke. "I don't hate her. I just... She made eye contact with the Skitty, and... We're those tears? When... When was the last time she'd made Darcy cry...? Oh, gosh...

"What's the right choice...?" She asked the vulpix, her own crying much more controlled, although no less sorrowful. Why couldn't they just go back to enjoying sunny days in the town square, nary a worry on their mind. Ice cream, or noodles, or both... A story book on Darcy's bag, and a small on Alki's face.

She'd miss those days...

Robin's Energy: 17
(11 before rolls, +1 for new page)
(3 + 40% -> 3 + 7.6 -> 3 + 8 = 11)
(11 - 9 = 2)
(2 + 80% -> 2 + 15.2 -> 2 + 15 = 17)
(= 17)
(If that was confusing to you, don't worry, that makes two of us.)

"Alki, you're overthinking it." Robin urged gently. "I know that you're all of those things, because you just showed me." It was... simplistic logic. She couldn't get a grip on someone's character from one interaction, not in any way that mattered. She of all people should know that. But she would say anything to reassure her, even if it was something she disagreed with. Robin didn't matter. Alki mattered, even if she couldn't understand it yet. Her gaze flickered between the two of them. They weren't much younger than she was, but she felt much older, in that moment, breathing deeply to ground herself.

It was a relief that she was making some progress with the Skitty, at least. Perhaps she would know how to reassure Alki better than Robin could. Darcy knew her better, after all; the two of them were sisters. She was on the precipice, now, and... were those tears? That shouldn't be a good thing, Robin mused idly. Under no circumstances should it be a victory that she'd made a child cry. But these were odd circumstances, or perhaps just more evidence of Robin's true nature, the dark thing below her skin that always threatened to seep out through the cracks.

Focus. This is not about her. She crouched down on her legs, suddenly worried that she would trip at the home stretch and it would all be for nothing; that there was nothing she could say or do to reassure Alki or convince Darcy to be her friend again. And if she couldn't, then what could Robin even do...? "I can't answer that for you." She said instead, praying to whatever god might be watching that she had picked her words wisely.

"You're the only person who can decide that. But if you want my opinion... it looks like neither of you hate each other. In fact, both of you have missed each other very, very much." What if she wasn't doing the right thing? What if Darcy would just turn verbally abusive again; then what could Robin do? There were so many things that could go wrong, and she felt so helpless and small, just waiting for the Skitty to make her decision and see the fallout.

Alki remained silent, letting her limbs fall limply to her side. She didn't see any of that in herself... No virtue, no kindness, just... a lack of use. When was the last time anyone had really needed her there...? The last time was the Glaceon, really, and she'd ruined that... And before that... Had there ever been anyone...? "Y-Yeah, m-maybe you're r-right..." She said softly, knowing full well that Robin wasn't nice at all. It was alright if she wanted to try to make her feel better, but the only thing that could make her feel better is if she were someone else entirely...

"I wish I w-were a V-Vulpix..." She said softly, voicing her thoughts aloud. How nice would that be... She'd be a useful species of Pokemon, and with that came an ability to be useful... Or would people have bullied her anyways...? If she had been born a Vulpix, would there have been any difference...? Or would the only difference have been that she'd run away from the other kids with four legs instead of two...?

"S-Sorry..." She added softly, bringing out her bag to hug it instead, now that Robin was preoccupied with the Skitty. She heard paper crumble inside, but it didn't stop her... She wanted something to hold...

Darcy blinked, her frame trembling as her ears bent forward. She knew that Robin was right. From the start, when she'd seen Alki she wanted to come over and yell at her, scream because of her betrayal... All those moments she'd had to suffer at the guild, alone in her room, the remains of Alki's time there left behind. Sketchbooks on the desk, forgotten, little plush toys strewn across the room... All those whispers and sideways glances at her as she walked through the hall.

"Isn't she the outlaw's teammate...?"

"Do you think maybe she's an outlaw too...?"

All the lonely nights where she woke up early, and whispered out to Alki, as she so often did, only to remember that there was no Alki. She'd left. She didn't love her anymore...

And then she'd walk over, still groggy from having just woken up, and she lit a candle to take a look at the room. And she noticed the plush toys, the plethora of Skitty, a couple Delcatty here and there, and an igglybuff or jigglypuff to accompany them. Always in pairs.

The sketchbooks were filled with rough sketches, always rough. Black and white images of Skitty. Napping, eating, laughing, smiling...

Hugging. Never with color. The lines were always rough, sometimes erased, but she could still see just how many of them there were. And again, some jigglypuff to accompany the Skitty. Like siblings...

Maybe...?

"Y-Yes, m-maybe..." Darcy said softly, pawing at her ear, as though it were itching. She just... what was she supposed to say. The Skitty took a deep breath, laughing softly... Who knew things would end up here, when she'd found such a small, fragile igglybuff in a basket that night... "I... d-don't think I h-hate her, n-no..." The more she thought about it, the more convinced of this she became, and she took a hesitant step forward, before stopping, one paw raised in the air.

"A-Alki, I'm... s-sorry to be so rude. I'm sorry I said what I did. I... I d-don't believe those things... n-not really..." She said, finally gathering enough strength to gaze upon her teammate, her friend, and... despite everything, her sister.

"I..." She resumed her slow trot towards the jigglypuff... despite the fact she was an outlaw now, despite the price on her head, despite everything... she was no less fragile than that night she'd met her... She was still the same sweet, hurting, vulnerable child... And she'd almost shattered her into a million pieces...

Darcy brought herself to remember the sketchbooks and plushies... Darcy meant the world to her, she knew that. And she'd almost broken her. Broken her sister... Broken...

Was there something broken about her...?

Millions of thoughts were floating through her head, but Darcy found herself to sit down beside her sister. Her eyes were closed as she hugged her own bag. Her ears were folded down, and she still seemed to be shaking.

Without really thinking about it, Darcy's tail flickered, before positioning itself behind the jigglypuff's back, slowly stroking the balloon. Down, back up, down... Just like before. Alki jumped. Had she not heard her? Not noticed...

Not cared?

"Alki, I... d-did you hear me? I don't hate you. I don't. I... I lied earlier. I was... I am angry with you, I... I don't know. It's complicated, but... All I know, is that... you're... you're not what you say you are. You're an outlaw, but... You know, I never did realize where all of Mum's medicine money was coming from. It should've been obvious in hindsight. And... the targets, when I read the news, there was always something about them..." She paused, hesitating...

This was so difficult... She glanced at the Vulpix. She'd been rude to her... But now, she felt so lost and helpless, that any form of encouragement from the ice type would've been more than welcome...

It was Darcy's turn to jump now, as she felt the girl lean against her, still saying nothing, still suffering...

"Y-You s-should h-h-hate m-me..." Alki said, too caught up in her emotions to realize the contradiction in what Darcy had said... What had she read in the news? They were still planning their first heist... But what did that matter...? Alki hugged one of Darcy's legs, and the older sibling awkwardly rested her head atop the younger sibling's. She placed one paw beside Alki, awkwardly attempting to lean into the hug. Both Pokemon were clearly frightened...

Was she doing this right...?

Robin visibly relaxed when the two embraced. There was nothing more she needed to do, or say. That had worked out nicely. Not to mention, far more cleanly than she usually had the luck of solving her problems with. A tired smile graced her face as Robin watched the two from a comfortable distance. They'd be fine from here. She hoped, at least - despite her prior concerns, it was hard not to believe that, if just for a moment, while she watched the two embrace. She gave them a warm look and cast her gaze out towards the sea.

It was a beautiful sight, flashes of coral dyed in warm colors below the waves, a school of Wishiwashi flickering below the coral. The sun was setting, lighting up the sky in rosy pink and warm gold, the undersides of the clouds glowing a fiery orange. At least in this moment, it looked more like the real Coral Forest than the strange mirror of it they had found themselves in. This was... nice.

At least until a little blue shape stood on the water, just from the corner of Robin's sight. It was shaped just like Kiba, if his colors were inverted, his expression oddly lifeless. She reached out to approach the figure, but the water gave out under her paws. It was only solid for the strange Zorua, apparently. She kept watching the horizon, squinting to see a burst of bright white light flickering on the horizon.

That must be Kero. That exploration team had found the exit. Only time would tell if it would grant them an escape from this mirror world, but it couldn't hurt to try. She watched as the little fox approached her from the corner of her eye, taking a slight step back and tilting her head. What did he want? Could he speak? That question, at least, was answered, as he tapped his paw on the coral in a pattern that matched the lights.

"You're almost too late." The little fox said. "If you want to save them, you should hurry. Or maybe it's already come to pass?"

"... what are you taking about?" Robin answered cautiously, a sinking pit of dread starting to form in her stomach. Was this strange Zorua threatening her? She'd never met anyone who spoke like this, or looked like this, for that matter.

"Watch the light."

And reluctantly, she did, narrowing her eyes and keeping some distance between herself and the threatening stranger. It just seemed... like a normal, flashing light. But wait, no. Those three lights were longer, followed by three short ones, three long, three short-

Robin's eyes widened, her voice very, very soft. "... they need help." And the Zorua smiled as she finally seemed to understand.

"SOS." He agreed. "S-O-S-O-S-O-S-O-S."

She didn't have the time for his games. In the middle of his mantra, she turned back to Alki and Darcy, blue eyes wide. "Hey, Alki! Those pokemon we met before are in trouble. That's an SOS signal! We've got to move!" How long had that been up-? Please don't be too late, she prayed. The turned and the Zorua was gone, and the ocean once more rubbery under her feet, wobbling but not giving way under her weight.

"I... I should?" Darcy asked, repeating the jigglypuff's statement with a bemused smile. The Vulpix simply seemed to watch along, content, almost happy...? She didn't say anything, but the smile and content face gave her enough reassurance that she was, in fact, doing it right... "Maybe I should. But I don't. Who am I to say? I can't..." Darcy looked down at her paws, a small, confused frown appearing on her face. She pawed at the coral softly, before nodding resolutely. "Outlaw or not, Alki, you're my sister. And even if you think I should hate you, I don't... Ok? I know you're wrong about everything you said. Just... believe in me, ok...?" The off-colored skitty turned to her thief sister, and nudged her gently, mewing. She'd... missed this.

Did she have a duty to arrest her? Stop her...? Maybe... But she could turn a blind eye. Just today... Just for her.

"D-Darcy, I... s-so you d-don't hate me...?"

"No." The Skitty said simply, her eyes glistening with tears as she backed away to look at her sister, and for that brief moment, her voice was... It was exactly like Alki remembered it. And at least momentarily, she managed to put away her self-hatred and suicidal thoughts, to reciprocate the hug...

She still hated herself. A ton. But at least now... Now she had something to live for again, and for a brief moment, she feared she'd lost it.

"T-Thank you..." Alki said softly, breathing such a long sigh of relief that it might almost seem as though the balloon pokemon were deflating.

And then someone who looked an awful lot like what she remembered Chance looked like popped into view. He said something about... being too late...? For what? Too late to save... The nice explorers...? The ones that had saved her from drowning...?

"T-The explorers...?" Alki asked no one in particular. She already knew it was them. It had to be them. The light... was blinking? Did that mean something? Why did they know they needed help? SOS? Sauce? What did that mean?

"O-Ok..." Alki said, standing up. But she hesitated... Darcy turned to look at her, cocking her head. "B-But I'm a t-thief, n-not a fighter. What if... What if I get in the way? What if I get... one of you two k-killed?"

"There's no time to worry about that, Alki." Robin urged, as gently as she could manage, but the urgency in her tone betrayed her. She couldn't think of anything to do, except take the burden off of her shoulders. "Just worry about yourself. I'll make sure everyone's fine." It was pathetic to suggest that she could do such a thing. She was weak, she wasn't built for fighting - but someone had to, and it certainly wasn't Alki's responsibility. Besides, she could teleport and breathe fire, so clearly she wasn't as weak as she thought.

She took off sprinting across the water, knowing they didn't have any time to waste. How long had that signal been up before she'd noticed it? Or... would she have even noticed it, without the ominous Zorua? Was he trying to help her, in his alien way? No, there would be time to think about that later. For now- for now, she had to run, ignoring the confused glances of water pokemon below her feet, a Starmie, a Binacle, a Tirtouga. Some absent part of her mind wondered how bizarre this must look from their perspective.

Or was this just normal to them?

The flashes subsided, but not before a massive shape began to come into view, soaring and raging over the water, tiny figures barely avoiding it's gnashing teeth. It was a Gyrados - yes, but no, no, not exactly, because it's shape was twisted into razor sharp scales and thick fins. One of the Ralts siblings ducked out of the way just in time as it plunged out of the water, almost catching them in it's mouth and eating them alive. The Ralts were teleporting between all five coral platforms, rushed and frantic.

The Lantern - Kero - looked up and beamed like the sun. "You came! Thank Arceus, you made it." He laughed, low and dark, lacking his previous light. It broke Robin's heart. As he laid eyes on her, the water once more turned to liquid, almost casting her into the depths below. If that had happened, that Mega-Gyrados surely would have eaten her alive.

"W-we need help. This was s'pposed to be an easy mission with our type advantage, but no one knew he could mega evolve. He can outmaneuver me in the water, my electric moves aren't doing the damage they need to, and Tsera and Phosphor can barely scratch him, we weren't expecting a dark type. I don't know-"

Phosphor finally turned to them, his eyes widening in panic and outrage. "Kero! They're civilians! You three have to go. This bastard is fighting to kill. We can distract him, just run!" He demanded, motioning frantically, and before Robin could respond, before she could realize just how much danger they were in -

The coral platform shattered under their feet as the Gyrados rammed it, fracturing into a dozen pieces. The Ralts teleported off, and the Lantern dived back into the water, ignoring his injuries. Robin managed to scramble to a nearby platform while the Gyrados laughed, cruel and joyful and deafeningly loud.

"AhaHAHAHA! I'll tell you what. You know you're beat. They're civilians, they can't save you." He leaned in towards the six, his face growing dangerously close to each of them. "I'll let you scamper off and live. Let the world know what happens when you try to capture me. All you have to do is leave one of your friends behind, so I can tear them limb from limb. If you don't, I'll kill every last one of you, and I'm not going to bother making it quick."

Alki nodded softly, the Fox's tactic working like a charm. The girl failed to detect the urgency in her voice, although she couldn't help but feel a sense of urgency herself. Could she really help in any meaningful way...? Debatable... But if someone was in danger, someone doubtlessly more important than her, she wanted to try. "O-Ok..." Alki mumbled, watching Robin take off at a run. She felt one last brush from Darcy's tail, and as she turned to her sister, she saw a small smile.

"Just like before, when we were a team, right Alki?" She said, tilting her head softly. Somehow, despite the urgency that Robin felt, that Alki felt, and indeed, even that Darcy felt, none of it came into her voice. Or maybe Alki just didn't notice? Maybe she was just happy that the Skitty liked her again... The Skitty took off running after the Vulpix, and Alki allowed herself a few seconds to gaze after them.

She opened her bag, and poked around in it. What items had she brought? She could never quite keep it straight. Orbs. A few seeds, but not many... Decoy Orb, Blowback, a Silence Orb... And a drawing. Lots of good that would do... Alki made a mental note of which orb was which (They all looked so similar!), before closing the bag and placing it on her ears, and tightening the strap. She could reach it pretty alright...

Ok... Ok, no more stalling, just go, try to help... she was the least important person there. She just had to remember that, if she could help anyone, in any way, she had to do it...

The girl teleported after the older Pokemon, trailing behind them. The other two was faster than her, which was a shame. She would've liked to go in front, if only so all the attention from the bad guys would be on her. There would be bad guys, right? If the exploration team needed help, then there had to be bad guys...

There were pokemon below where she was running, and in front of her there did, indeed, seem to be a battle. There was a Gyarados, but he seemed... different, somehow. The Lanturn that had saved her from drowning earlier was smiling at them, thrilled to see them. They made it? Made what? She was happy to see that all the Pokemon she'd seen earlier were... well, not unharmed. Kero seemed a bit hurt. The others were too far away for her to see if they were hurt, and then she was falling, falling towards the water, sink or swim...?

No... She didn't want to find out anymore. Darcy liked her again! Robin did too! And if she got eaten, they'd both hate that... So she didn't really want to stay in the water anymore... For the time being, she was floating, but she didn't want to stay... She teleported into another platform, but that became the new target... She teleported again.

She was getting a bit dizzy...

The shattered remnants of coral floated in the water. She was besides Robin now, but she could see Darcy, only a few metres away. She found herself grabbing one of the fox's tails subconsciously. It was cold, but it was also quite comforting. Her ears were low, angry at the Gyarados.

It was one thing to target her, because she deserved it. But Robin, or Darcy, or the nice fish Pokemon, or the Ralts? They didn't. He was trying to kill people who didn't deserve it... And now he was talking to them. Her grip on the fox's tail tightened. No one said anything. Limb from limb... A limb was like... an arm. A leg. He wanted to tear people apart...?

He was so big. Big and loud and terrifying, but... Well, they had to win, or someone would die. Five minutes ago, she would've jumped at the opportunity, but now? Robin liked her, Darcy liked her again, and she was the smallest and youngest person there. She wasn't even sure if they would let her volunteer herself as the sacrifice.

Truthfully, she wasn't even really sure if she wanted it at the moment...

How were they going to win, though? The girl bit her lip. No one said anything, but she supposed that was the Gyarados expected... Too terrified to say anything, offer anyone... But it gave her time to think. They were all small... And they were limited to the coral. He wasn't. But she had items... Did anyone else have weapons? And... Well, her hidden power could probably serve as a shield for at least a couple strikes... She'd practiced it so much! It wouldn't fail her now...

Items, shadows, and teleporting could keep her safe... But could it keep anybody else safe? Robin had said she'd take care of it earlier, but she couldn't just... lay all the burden on her. She couldn't lay any of the burden on her. It was all on her, always, and after everything that had happened, she'd do her best to keep everyone safe, or die trying...

"...You're a bully." Alki said softly, the first words that had been spoken in quite a few seconds. "I hate bullies. None of us are going to die. There's six of us, and only one of you... And we're the good guys! Besides! I'm a phantom thief! You think you've got this all planned out, to a T, but we're going to be two steps ahead of you!" She said, smiling softly. That was how it always worked. In books, in plays... The good guys won! And, at least today, she got to be a good guy!

Robin knew she was a thief. So did Darcy. The explorers didn't, but... she could brush it off as something from a book or play she'd liked once this was all over.

And the quiet boast did quite a bit to bolster her confidence... She'd never really won a fight of her own accord, but things were different now! She had a reason to try her best now... It was now or never! It was time to make history...

No one would die... The explorers had done their best, and they were still alive... So it was her turn to step up to the plate... Sure, she wasn't the strongest person ever, but... She had to win.

Tsera had warped behind Alki, giving her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "I knew I liked you guys." She joked, the ghost of a smile creeping onto her face. She stepped towards the outlaw, seemingly undaunted even as she drew close enough for him to lean forward and swallow her whole. Her shy demeanor from before had shifted, smiling even as exhaustion traced her face.

The Gyrados laughed, then, in earnest, gnashing fangs gleaming white. "Perfect. What an honor. I get to teach you what happens to good guys in the real world." He snickered, leaning towards the little Jigglypuff. "Here's a hint, kid. They end up dead."

It was Tsera's turn to step forward, raising a hand in a mock-gesture of peace. "Stop. I'll do it. Just... let the others go." The shy little Ralts insisted, ignoring her brother's desperate protests. Her words set a spark of dread in Robin's heart, and worse, still, relief. She didn't want to die here. But she couldn't let this happen, either-

"Someone has an ounce of common sense. In honor of that, I'll let you pick. Which piece would you like torn off first?"

"Hmm." She stepped forward in mock-thought, a hand placed to her cheek in an melodramatic gesture of consideration. "You know what? I-" She cut herself off, her shadow sharpening and shifting into a knife that sneaked straight into the monster's open throat, making it howl in pain. Her smile was glorious. "- think I could really go for your head." She finished.

And with that, the ocean exploded into chaos, the Gyrados only seeing red. Robin knew she had to be careful. Half of their team could teleport, and not being able to made her an easier target. If the outlaw was smart, he'd realize that. The hail stormed down in earnest, so intense that it almost grew difficult to see. She had to win. For the explorers, for Darcy, for Alki. She dipped her head and whirled up a Powder Snow, battering it with snow and hail. Her attacks barely seemed to dent him, not even enough for him to pay her any mind.

That was worrying, but it could also be an advantage.

"Outlast it!" She ordered, her voice a fevered pitch to be heard above the roaring wind. "He's not trying to dodge. Our attacks aren't doing much, but he can't keep taking them forever!" The explorers seemed to gain a second wind, as help arrived. Phosphor danced around the outlaw's blows gracelessly, tossing Shadow Balls his way when the Gyrados needed to readjust from an overeager strike.

His dance was put to an end, however, when the outlaw swept his body in a long swipe, batting the Ralts out into the open water, his tail gleaming iron. Tsera was peppering the monster with Shadow Sneaks and Icy Winds while his back was turned, cut off with a shocked cry when she saw her brother hit the water, unable to teleport in time, while Kero swam slowly underwater, waiting for an opening.

The Gyrados let out a victorious laugh and dived for Phosphor, eerily still as the monster charged for him.

Alki jumped at an unexpected, although not unwelcome, pat on her shoulder. Alki turned to look at the Ralts, a small, pale smile on her face. She managed her own shaky grin in return. If this was going to go south, then at the very least, she knew she'd done everything she could. These explorers were nice! And if anything happened to them, she'd have no choice but to blame herself...

Wait. Tsera liked her...? Alki's ears perked up as a look of surprise crossed her face, unsure of what to say. She hadn't really done much, and... Had they missed the part about her being a thief...? Or did they just not care...?

"I..." Alki mumbled, but before she could say anything more, the gyarados before them laughed. He was loud, bitter, hateful, and he seemed so confident. It was honestly, really, really spooky. If she were alone, she had no doubt that he could kill her in his sleep, but... they had a numbers advantage, so if they played it smart, maybe they wouldn't end up in his stomach...

Alki slowly reached for her own shadow, sitting down for a moment so she could reach it easier. But as she was standing back up, Tsera seemed to be approaching him. Stop? She'd do what...? Alki blinked stupidly, unsure of what was happening...

"H-Hey, you can't..." Darcy spoke, somewhere nearby, but Alki simply stared at the Ralts. She wasn't going to, actually, right...? Alki wanted to say something, but Tsera was an explorer, and probably a much better one than she was... She didn't want to mess anything up, but... Alki didn't want to see anyone be torn apart, let alone someone who had just said she liked her...

"D-D-D-Don't..." Alki mumbled, her hand still holding her shadow, but just as she resolved to intervene, Tsera drove her own shadow into his throat, and he screamed, and Alki let out a small, horrified laugh of relief. The Ralts was tricking him! Of course she had been... And she'd even used a move a lot like Alki's too!

"D-D-Don't d-do that! Y-You scared me... " The girl mumbled, but gave her a small, thankful smile. They were gonna be in a fight now, but at the very least, she was happy that she was ok...

A hail storm came out of nowhere. It was a bit harder to see, but... Well, this was Robin's attack, right? Her fur was white, she was an ice type... Maybe it could even help them?

Think. She ordered herself. There had to be a way to beat him... He was big and strong and scary, but he was rude, and cocky, full of himself. She was fine with it if he targeted her. It'd give everyone else more of an opening, and her moveset wasn't... Well, it wasn't the best offensive moveset. She'd barely practiced fighting, either. Defense? Sure? Evasion? Of course.

Hurting others? That was something she never figured she'd really have to do... At the very least, not like this. She was a thief. She never thought she'd have to deal with someone this murderous...
Alki used her flamethrower attack on the Gyarados, the only attack that she was sure could reach... But between the sudden cold from the snow and hailstorm, and the fact that it was probably her least practiced move... She probably wasn't doing too much...

"Ok..." She breathed to herself, poking around her bag once more. "J-Just provoke him..." The others had busied themselves attacking him, but she ceased her own attacks, instead watching him. He hadn't said anything, but...

Oh no...

One big swipe from the Gyarados sent Phosphor flying, flying away, away... How far was that? She was far away from it too... She looked back behind her, hesitantly. Tsera was behind the Gyarados, much further than she was... She was the closest to Phosphor...

Well, now was her chance...

"B-Be right back!" The little girl squeaked, before teleporting off, hopping from platform to platform, hoping to reach him in time. She was racing the Gyarados for him, and he was in water... How was she going to protect him...

Blowback... The blowback orb? She was near, near enough to hit him... The Gyarados? Or Phosphor?

She was running out of time... He was getting closer, closer...

Blowback orbs hurt, didn't they? But getting eaten probably hurt more... And the angle was better... If she sent the Gyarados towards all her... friends...?

That would suck.

"S-Sorry Phosphor..."  Alki mumbled, extracting the orb, and aiming it at the Ralts. He'd go towards the others... If he hit a coral wall, that would hurt, but it was better than the alternative... Just... Take your time.

Aim...

"Don't miss..." She mumbled to herself, before sending the orb flying towards him, hitting him, sending him skimming across the water, fast, fast... Fast enough? The Gyarados dove. Guess she'd find out soon... His body was blocking her view of where Phosphor would be...

It was cold.

The Gyarados swam back up. He seemed pissed... Good for her! She had successfully pissed off a murderous water-dragon!

She assumed Phosphor was safe, then... She'd aimed it right-ish, she hoped. Ifshe was right, he'd be closer to the others, then, while she felt...

Well, honestly, she could've used some more pleasant company right then...

But why show off her fear? She was afraid, but he didn't know that. She smiled coyly, winking at the Gyarados.

"T-Told ya, M-Mister! Told you we'd be two steps ahead of ya!" She said, much brighter than she had any right to be given her current situation. "It's not too late to give up, ya know!" Alki giggled, and winked at the Gyarados. As she looked at him, a bright light entered her eyes, understanding, and then faded...

Iron tail. He'd used Iron tail, and she knew how to stop him from using it again... She didn't know how she knew that; it was something instinctual, from her move... But she knew.

Spoiler:

"Heh. Sorry I scared you." Tsera answered with a wink, and then she was gone. Funny, how she'd seemed so shy a moment before. Robin wondered quietly if it had all been an act, or if, perhaps, battling just brought out her confidence. It was hard to say. Not to mention they had more immediate concerns- as Phosphor was launched along the water, Tsera was there to catch him, firmly shaking his shoulders as he coughed water, helping him shake off his daze. Robin approached them, her eyes wide and her adrenaline running hot. Her mind whirled with plans and schemes, each more farfetched then the last.

Roar definitely wasn't going to work. This thing wasn't going to be intimidated. It was strong and murderous, but it was also overconfident - they could use that to their advantage, if they could just stay alive long enough to chip away at it. Hypnosis... she doubted she'd be able to keep eye contact in the heat of a battle, or overcome the murderous dragon's will to put him to sleep. At least, definitely not before he was weakened. Still, despite her lack of plans, her shoulders sunk in relief as Phosphor stumbled back to his feet.

"Look alive. He's coming back." Robin warned the siblings, squinting at a harsh flare of light.


The Gyrados' throat burned with an outraged roar, deafening even as it was muffled by the water. With his attention split, he focused on the target that had infuriated him more - that little bratty kid who fancied herself a hero, catching her fear through her stutter and a gnash of teeth. He charged for her with an open maw, brimming with dark energy for a Crunch attack, when-

Something crashed into his side with all the speed of a bullet. He was cut off by a tackle from the Lanturn, glowing with electricity and beaming at Alki with a grin - a genuine one, relieved at the sight of his boss being safe. "Thanks for the save!" He called, swimming up to her so she could grab onto him. "Let's get back to the others!"

Battle Summary:

Alki blinked, the small girl suddenly quite terrified by the task before her. Distract the Gyarados, keep the others safe, and somehow... win? She wasn't even sure if she could keep herself safe. He was approaching her... She should teleport. Leave... But her head hurt. She was so dizzy... She couldn't focus... Her head hurt, it was cold, hail was hitting her occasionally too, making an already impossible task that much harder, and the sudden storm had caused the waves to pick up, seawater spraying her face, causing her to lift a hand to shield her eyes, but her arms were too thin and her eyes too large and...

He's getting closer.

She needed to teleport. Leave... Get away, to safety, for Darcy's sake, Robin's, all the others...

She couldn't lose now! But she couldn't teleport either.

Really close... Protect yourself...

She wasn't going to leave. That much was obvious. He was larger than her, so much larger, three, four times the size of her? She was tiny... She had to sidestep, shield herself from the coral debris... Just because she couldn't teleport didn't mean she couldn't move...

Alki grabbed hold of her shadow, bringing it up towards the Gyarados, and only then did she realize how pitiful a shield it was. She was just too small... She stepped to the side, but it seemed she didn't have to worry. The Gyarados was sent... Stumbling? Could you stumble in the water?

...He stumbled away, to the side, away from Alki... Kero said something. Thanks... for the save?

"Oh." Alki said, slowly wielding her hidden power. She hadn't realized how much her hands were trembling... Had she really been that scared... "I'm... eheh, j-just happy I a-aimed r-right, I... I'm d-dizzy, I'm not used t-to teleporting s-so much... f-fast, I..." Alki stammered out, grabbing a tentative hold of the fish's side, and letting herself fall into the water...

As soon as her feet met liquid, her grip tightened, both hand's on Kero's side now... "I-I d-d-don't k-know how t-to swim..." She squeaked out, her eyes widening at the large expanse of sea before her. She wasn't... well, she could get by on land, but... She'd never really tried to teleport out of the water before, not... not in these conditions. Did she even have a shadow underwater...? And if she couldn't swim, she couldn't double team, and water cancelled out fire...

She couldn't do anything in the water... She still had her bag, right...? She needed that... It had her orbs...

"S-S-Sorry I-I h-hit P-Phosphor w-with a-an orb, t-though..." She managed quietly, unsure of how close they were to land at this point. She hoped they were. Her eyes had been closed for a while now...

~

Tsera had said she'd liked this trio before, but that had been an understatement. She absolutely adored them by now. As confident as she seemed, she wasn't... entirely sure if they would've been able to pull through by themselves. It was too much, too fast, and they had already been nearly overwhelmed by the time these other Pokemon had come. And now the girl had saved her brother's life...

"Phosphor...? Are you ok?" She asked, shaking her brother hard. They'd never gotten into a fight like this... But now that reinforcements had arrived, they couldn't lose. Like Alki had said, they were the good guys... Phosphor began to cough up water as she pulled him out of the sea, getting him back on dry land as she softly pat his back.

"C'mon! This is no time to take a rest, not yet... And you owe the little kid one! I'm pretty sure she just saved your life!" She exclaimed, a confident smirk coming easily to her face. If he was ok, she was ok, and Kero was bringing the kid in question back to them... They had time to regroup, figure something out... She had heal pulse, and she was already using it on Phosphor... Not like there'd be another opportunity like this one...

They would all be ok...

Robin pointed out that he was coming back... He seemed pissed. It was six on one, but it still barely seemed like an even fight... So many places to screw up... As thankful as she was for them, they were still civilians... Unexperienced... Prone to mistakes...


"Yes... He is." Tsera said, closing her eyes. Support... Play defense. There was five other people to attack, but as far as she knew, she was the only one who could defend them... She threw up a reflect, a small barrier surrounding each member of the party's body.

"I... can only attack with Shadow Sneak right now. Does... Anybody else have any ideas...?"

~

Darcy bit her lip, watching her younger sister teleport away. She was a much better person than she gave herself credit for... Than she'd been giving herself credit for. She couldn't do much to follow her. The divide between platforms was too big, she wasn't a good swimmer, and even if she was, what could she do? She knew Blizzard, and she had been using it, but... It didn't seem like enough.

How tough was this guy?

One of the Ralts came rocketing back towards them, caught by his sister. They were looking out for each other, which was good... All of them were there, except for Alki and... Kero, was it? Enough time to figure something out... She felt the effects of a Reflect surrounding her, which was welcome...

Any ideas...?

"I... know Solar Beam, but... Um, I... just learned it, so it takes me a while to focus and use it, but... He's weak to grass, right?" Darcy mumbled softly, watching the Gyarados. "It'll do damage, but I can't really move around much while I'm charging it up... Can you guys protect me while I do that? It's... not the safest idea. So if anyone else has any other ideas, please let me know..." Darcy offered tentatively. It took her a while... She wasn't a natural at Grass type moves, she'd never learned one before, and it took her a while. And she couldn't really move at all while she was charging it up... And due to the Vulpix's storm, and her own blizzards, the sun was barely peeking through the clouds...

It'd take a while... But they couldn't just pepper him continously with attacks... Someone would screw up eventually. Slip up, and die. Phosphor almost had. It'd take too long... She could potentially die, but... What choice did she really have...?

Spoiler:

Oh, god, his head. He'd been batted into the water, and he was pretty sure he'd fallen unconscious for a second, and when he'd hit the water, Phosphor hadn't been expecting to wake up again. He let out a pained groan, vaguely aware of someone's hands on his shoulders. Everything was sore, everything stung. They hadn't been in battles like this before. They'd saved people before, they'd even caught outlaws, but nothing on this level. No one this strong. No murderers. He honestly wondered if the best they could do was try and get those three out alive.

(He would have gladly offered himself up, if Tsera hadn't taken the opportunity to land a sucker punch.)

"Uuuuugghhhhh..." He might have lain there for hours, if he couldn't hear Tsera's voice piercing through the fog in his mind. Her worry and concern was palpable, weaving through his mental barriers with ease. But above that, when he finally found the strength to stand... there was hope, and confidence, an earnest belief that they could not just survive, but win. It was infectious. Almost annoyingly so, in most other circumstances.

But now it was a jolt of electricity in his veins that jumpstarted his heart, heaving himself back to his feet. If he couldn't find the will to believe in anything else, he could believe in her. That, at least, he could do. He gave himself a rough slap to his own face, grounding himself with a spike of pain as the Gyrados raged back. "Right. You're right, Tsera." As always. He added quietly, to no one but himself.

"... Darcy, I think that'll work." Phosphor explained, a rare spark of hope glancing through his hidden eyes. "This guy has a one track mind. He's not good at tactics - he sees something, he wrecks it. If you keep your head down and let the rest of us draw the aggro, you'll have a chance to fire your Solarbeam." He stepped forward then, and in that heartbeat he was the leader again, holding out his arm. "But if he sets his sights on you, abandon the attack. That's an order. The trade off isn't worth it, he'll hit you harder than you'll hit him. I'm not losing anyone."

He dearly hoped this Skitty wasn't the self-sacrificial type. Being one of those himself, it could be an adventure to keep them alive, he thought in grim amusement. The lowered visibility might actually play to their advantage. Yes, it would take longer to charge, but it would also be harder to spot the Skitty charging up past the wind and snow. It wasn't pleasant, but it might just be their salvation, too. "Robin, what do you have in your bag?"


"Take a look." Robin shoved it forward. Until circumstances like these, she couldn't blame him for being bossy. "I've got some sleep seeds, but I'm not sure how we could get him to eat one. I think there's a swift seed and some blast seeds in there, too." But it was something she hadn't mentioned that caught the Ralts' eye, and he lifted up a pair of Corsola spikes with a faint smile, twirling them in his hand.

Just what was he planning? He clearly had some idea, whatever it was, though she bit back the curiosity to ask. He took them without asking for permission, seeming to gather his courage, an aura of defiance radiating from the little Ralts. "Sorry, Tsera. Don't think you're gonna like this." He apologized, shot his sister the faintest of all smiles, and teleported into the ether.

A howl of outraged pain split the air moments later.


Kero had to dodge and weave to avoid the outlaw's frantic charge, his carefree smile flickering. He forced a reassuring tone, though, glancing back towards Alki. "Hey, you saved his life. If he chews you out over that, I'll feed 'im to the Gyrados myself." The Lanturn joked, carried forward on a large wave, a furious roar behind him.

"Don't worry. Just hold on tight, yeah? Don't worry about hurting me, I'm pretty tough." He joked, his tone light and airy despite the anxiety creeping into his mind. Damn it all. The dragon was getting closer, he couldn't swim fast enough. He had to at least get the kid to the island, though- he needed to just keep moving, ignore the dull pain in his aching side. The platform was growing closer, but the Gyrados was gaining on them faster.

"Hold your breath!" He shouted to Alki before dipping underwater, his tail slapping against the surface to splash saltwater in the monster's eyes as it swooped down for another Crunch. He wasn't sure if that would work twice, though- he was out of tricks, and the platform was still just a little too far, and he couldn't force himself to swim any faster-

And then, a howl of pain split the air, leaving the Gyrados utterly outraged.

There was Phosphor, having teleported onto the dragon's back, and drove the Corsola Spike deep in a chink in the monster's scales. It writhed to try and throw him off, gnashing teeth at the little fly on it's back - but Phosphor was gone once more, materializing on Kero's back as the Lanturn pulled up to the island next to Darcy, Robin and Tsera.

"Did it." Phosphor joked weakly, suddenly looking very, very pale. "Darcy, take cover, keep your head down. Should be me that it wants now."

Battle Summary:

Alki couldn't find the courage to say anything more. Facing down the sea monster was one thing... She could teleport, she had double team to mix him up, she could even bring up a shield! But now... Now her life was entirely out of her hands... All she could do was hold on as tightly as her little arms could allow, and hope and pray she wouldn't slip...

"Hold your Breath!"

Wait what oh god no no no

Sploosh.

Things looked different underwater. The water was clean, but even despite that, she could hardly see ten metres below her, before the water went from bright blue, to navy, to almost black... What was at the bottom? Strange, new Pokemon, untold treasures?

There probably wasn't air...

She felt her grip begin to loosen on his body, her arms slowly slipping and slipping. She couldn't swim. She frantically clawed for a better grip, finding one on the root of his tail. She wanted to scream. Barely any sound came, just frantic noises and the appearance of bubbles. She couldn't rotate her head to look up while keeping her grip, just down, down into the blackness that would be her grave if she slipped up just a bit...

They were slowing down... Alki tried to climb up, frantically, with a little help from the Lanturn, before she found herself in the open air again. The small balloon Pokemon breathed a large gulp of air, desperately enjoying the source of her life, before climbing back onto the platform.

~

Tsera nodded along as Darcy explained her idea. They had a bit of time to come up with something, but that time was just about up, and nobody else seemed to have any other idea. The smirk on her face only grew as she began to gain more and more faith in their success. These guys were smart. Hadn't the girl mentioned she was a phantom... something or other? Truthfully, she'd had bigger things on her mind, but they certainly weren't your average innocent Pokemon...

"Hey, sounds good to me! That's a better plan than any I could come up with!"

She didn't have a plan. Usually, things worked out fine without one, but she was quite happy that there was someone to pick up her slack. Phosphor was much better for that kind of thing, and Darcy seemed to be no slouch in that regard either. She placed her hands on her hips as she watched the Ice-type Vulpix throw her bag forward.

"Sorry, Tsera. Don't think you're going to like this."

What was Phosphor talking about? Oops. He's gone.

Immediately, her confident smirk was gone, replaced by an expression of unmistakable worry. Why did he have to be like this? He'd always survived thus far, but... Damn, if it wasn't heart-stoppingly stressful every. single. time.

A howl of pain burst through the air. She could see him, on the Gyarados' back. What the hell. Her hands began to tremble as she looked on. She couldn't help but feel quite thankful that her eyes were mostly covered. They were wide as saucers...

Kero pulled up to the side of the platform, and Tsera immediately busied herself by granting them the reflect status, as well as a cursory heal pulse. She wasn't even sure if the child was hurt, but after she'd saved her brother's life, she'd rather die than let any harm befall her...

Any of them, really... If they hadn't showed up, she couldn't help but shake the feeling that they'd be dead...

"Hey! I missed ya, buddy!" Tsera said, winking at the appearance of the girl as she approached Kero, placing a hand on his side as she closed her eyes, trying her best to heal him more than usual. He'd bore the brunt of the Gyrados' attacks... Both she and Phosphor could teleport, but he couldn't...

"And please don't do anything like that again, Phosphor! That was stupidly brave of you. I feel so drab by comparison!" She said, still smiling. Her tone was light and joking, but there was some truth there... As much as she teased him, she could never fail to admire the tenacity and bravery her sibling possessed. She could never dream of doing something that insane and coming out alive! But that was Phosphor for ya...

~

Darcy couldn't help but be thankful that Phosphor was back in charge. She was... Well, honestly, she had a pretty high opinion of her abilities as a guild member, but as a leader? Arceus, she'd never managed to keep a teammate when she'd tried to lead a team... That was still a sore spot for her, and even attempting to direct this group seemed way beyond her reach. They were all so intelligent and strong and she had no idea where she'd even begin.

She was given an order. She was the group's best shot at victory, and if she failed, then she was failing Alki, Robin, and the team that had saved her sister's life. Maybe even her own...

"Eeeyup. Don't worry about me!" Darcy said lightly, before trotting off towards some secluded corner of the island. If she was out of sight, she'd probably stay out of mind... Just be quiet. Don't draw attention to herself. And aim right. And they'd be alright!

Darcy closed her eyes, almost giving the appearance that the Skitty was sleeping. Truthfully, it was just hard to focus on the sunshine, between the cold, the humid air, the water lapping at her feet... Her ears bent. She could feel it, faintly, but...

Oh gosh, this was going to take a while...

~

"M-M-Missed you too..." Alki responded to Tsera quietly, managing a shaky smile. She really had, too... The Ralts was so cool... All three of these Pokemon were so cool... She felt like such a lame-o by comparison... Some phantom thief. She could barely talk without a stutter! Alki let out a small, nervous laugh, as she watched her sister trot off.

No time to slack off... She couldn't just call it quits, she still had to do her part, and then some... Alki grabbed her shadow once more, fashioning it into a whip of sorts. Tsera could do something like that as well, right...?

Did Tsera like her move...?

Say, didn't she have some other way to help...? Darcy had explained her ability to her once...

"H-Hey, y-you guys, I-I k-know t-this is important, but a-am I... A-Am I a f-friend...?" She asked, her tone hesitant, but urgent. This was such a stupid question, but she wasn't really sure if they liked her or not... She liked them, but was that enough for her ability to work...? Darcy had explained it, but she could barely remember now...

Why was battling so complicated...

Spoiler: