Chapter Text
The Studies of a Spirit Talker
The party was finally winding down. Kencil heard her big sis sigh, she felt a bit of apprehension from the mon, but mostly her sister seemed tired. On the other hand Pele had earlier watched while Ezelle carried away a certain little Fennekin who had fallen asleep in the middle of eating a gummi, and that poor mon felt a strong longing. Say what she might about misgivings on gaining Gleam as a whelp, she loves him with all her heart.
She perked as Pele looked to her, “Shall we head home too? That sylveon now has me curious and, slightly apprehensive about this whole thing.”
Kencil looked up to her curiously, “Why is that?”
Pele reached out taking her hand, Kencil went along with it and fought hard the urge to blush, felt more like her mother taking her hand to lead her along, “He, well wait.” Pele paused a moment then mental contact was made, “ Better, when I dropped the whelps off with him, we talked a bit. He broached being a spirit talker with me, already knew I was a pokemon trained by Gleam. He said Ena told him and his father I would be coming, that she had seen it in the future. She apparently even knew I’d have this whole thing with suddenly knowing stuff, as she had his father teach him things I need to know, so that he can share it with me.”
Kencil was definately confused to hear that, “He, he knew you’d be here? He was waiting for you? And even knew you were a Spirit Talker? What in Arceus name..”
Pele shook her head, “ No idea, other than Ena told him. He also said I’ll be able to open Ena’s seal, that she left stuff inside for me for when I came here. He also seems to know, something else, and has apparently been told by Gleam it might be too stressful to tell me right now. Plus Sylveon thinks what I find in here might be stressful too.”
Kencil considered, “ He might be right, but either way I’ll stay with you sis, maybe help keep you grounded. Though from what I remember of mom’s place, while it is unusual in it’s build and furnishing it, shouldn’t be too stressful. Though he knows something else that might be a bit much for you? And Gleam made him promise not to tell, odd. I might talk to him lat---oh geeze he got out of that promise I forced him to make earlier. I need to contact Sylveon right quick, see if he’s willing.”
She activated her badge and set it to buzz instead of tone the Sylveon and waited till eventually, speaking softly, “This is Sylveon what’s up?”
“This is Ralts,” She considered for a second, they both belong to something of a secret team, “Ya know, this is Kencil. Better. I hope I havn’t woken anyone up, I was wanting to talk with you a bit about a promise Gleam made me earlier today, see if you could handle it. How is he anyway?”
Sylveon replied eventually, “Really, you want to go by your name? Well if you insist Kencil. Gleam is sleeping decently, he’s kinda of squirmy, I’ve had to bundle his scarf around his legs to keep him from moving too much. I hate trapping him like that but he’s quite a fitful sleeper.”
Pele sighed, “Nightmares..he needs a body close to him to help him calm.”
“Pele says that he’s a close quarters sleeper due to nightmares. So anyway about the thing I wanted to talk about. Gleam had multiple moments of upset today, but one that broke him pretty hard happened in the dungeon, involving Pele. He’s been keeping himself distracted so as not to need to process what was going on. But he needs some time to actually be upset over what happened. Scream, cry, wail. Just however it comes out. Bottling it up and ignoring it will only make it worse. If he wakes up can you get him to tell you what happened on the final floor of the dungeon, and remind him of the promise he made to me if needed? I hate to burden you with it, but I’m going to be with Pele in mom’s old house, as moral support in case she needs it.”
“Oh Pele is there? Hey darling. Anyway I see, I think I can do it, Pele mentioned to me she broke him pretty hard there. So admittedly I am curious on what happened. I, I’d hate to see him cry that hard but, I understand what you mean about bottling it up. Sure I’ll go ahead and do it if he wakes up before it’s too late. Enjoy seeing Ena’s old house.”
“Hey Sylveon, what is it with you and Pele. I mean seriously she mentioned what you two talked about when she dropped the whelps off. And the way you speak with her…”
“Sorry you’ll need to ask Gleam, which I understand why he’d want it kept quiet. It’s information that I got from Ena, and I have a very low amount of ways of proving it’s true. I think he also wants to keep from spreading what he feels could be misinformation, but I’m pretty sure it’s true. Actually you and me let’s talk later, I can ask you for a bit more proof, probably Vulpix as well. Anyway mind if we cut it now? I just heard Eevee whine a touch from all the noise, and it might affect Gleam too, I’d rather not have two grumpy whelps.”
“Sure thing Sylveon, Kencil out then.”
“Also, since we are sharing, both of you, Ezelle is fine, Ezelle out.”
Pele rubbed her head, “ More proof from you? ”
Kencil shakes her head, he’s got her confused, “ I, I’ve no idea.”
Pele sighs, “ There is something about him, and more, I dunno I’ll just blame Celebi again. So how did you like Gleam’s little show earlier ?” She could feel Pele’s apprehension, but why is there an undercurrent of fondness when talking about that sylveon? Must be the something about him she mentioned, but she seems confused by it herself.
Otherwise Kencil considered the show and smiled lightly, “ It was rather adorable, which I think was the point. Try to get the crowds attention with the whelps doing something cute. Though I felt a bit sorry for him, he doesn’t seem that good at being commanded. He was low key panicking most of the time he was doing his thing, and his mistakes in movement, unlike eevees, were genuine. ”
Pele shrugs softly, “ He’s a leader not a follower. Or something like that. His entire set of skills involves keeping his focus as wide open as he can, so he can catch what is coming. Taking commands requires almost full focus on the command giver, sparing just enough to see what is immediately ahead of you. Though I might consider working with him on that, if he wants to put on more shows like that. A lot of the others looked like they enjoyed it, and having something like that every so often could be cute.”
“Makes sense I suppose, shame he hurt his wrist. He really held back crying there, but the other whelps seemed to have reacted to it right away. Unless that soft cuddle pile was part of the show.”
Pele shook her head, “A pile yes...but they were supposed to overrun him, and basically being excitedly overstimulating him, with Sylveon coming in to save him right before he broke down fully. We were going to change it slightly from his plan before the wrist thing happened. I’m still doubting we should be letting him walk on his own too often.”
“ Part of me wants to say be careful or you’ll coddle him too much. But he is pretty young. Still he’s going to hurt himself more over time, most whelps do, so you need to get used to that too. Remind me, and make sure I check his age, I mostly can do it because I know some early Fennekin stuff. Anyway looks like we are at, well, let’s stop saying Ena’s home..it’ll be your home.”
Kencil and Pele stopped in front of Ena’s old home and she watches as Pele looked over the house, then she blinked as the emotions she felt from Kencil indicated, familiarity? Like she knows something about this building already that’s odd, she must be misreading Pele, surely..
“So how did Ena seal this place, did you see?”
Kencil shook her head, “I’ve no idea, I just know none of us can enter. And now I realize those who always advocated her house never be broken into, for fear of it being dangerous to do so, were the guardians. But from what you’ve asked I take it you’ve gotten nothing?”
“Correct, I just, no flash of inspiration, I’m a bit disappointed. And happy. The inspiration is annoying but..I recognize this building shape from the outside. But nothing about it should work correctly, at least I don’t think it should.”
Kencil huhed? “What do you mean, this building is familiar to you?” Ok maybe she wasn’t misreading Pele.
“Yeah it’s a human design, one I think I know well. But you need special...things made by humans for it to work. I mean an electric type can be a good backup, but usually you need them inside, and electric types get tired too fast to be a lot of use beyond emergency. But for instance the door is supposed to open and close on it’s own, and this pad here would normally be the locking mechanism. But it doesn’t seem to be on.”
Pele suddenly perked, “What the, a spirit? Do I have enough..”
Kencil perked, a spirit? Here? Who could it be and why? Pele is definitely interested but then confused then.
Kencil gasps as a familiar figure forms around Pele, and she longs, she longs hard. Especially as Pele steps back, revealing the other figure fully, her eyes went wide, “Mom?!” In front of her stood Ena, not fully there, obviously summoned, and Pele they, they, they look exactly the same, exactly the same.
Mom was holding her own twig, focusing on it mostly, but her head moved a bit, “You would bring Kencil, I’m sorry dear I’m not here, this is just a recording, and I sense I need to make this quick.” The image looked to Pele, “You know how this works already, all you need to do is turn it back on--” Kencil didn’t even listen to the rest, Mom. She is seeing mom again. And Pele, the two look alike, no wonder it’s been so hard. Celebi really did replace mom with Pele. And even Pele is upset over that fact. This, this is sooo wrong! And yet mom seems, she’s ok with it, she even is leaving Pele some sort of instruction. Wait what was she saying? Why did she start to stroke Pele’s cheek...but then she’s gone.
Kencil looked to Pele, her eyes filled with tears, “She, she, she did. She, She knew you’d be here. As as she was talking she, she saw you there in, in her flames. But, but that, yes that was, was mom, sis..”
Pele for her part, was longing, a strong heavy longing. Pele’s breathing was picking up heavily, she actually put her paw on her own chest, she was just trying to calm down. Kencil did the only thing she really could being so much smaller, she hugged the bigger mon around the leg, a moment later she found herself picked up and held close. She tried to not get too comfortable but, but she’s so much like mom.
Pele finally calmed down decently, ”O, okay Ezelle was right this..this, something about here it..it’s affecting me so strongly I I don’t know why. I saw her, and she just, it was like she was trying to touch my cheek, and I...I wish to see her again now.” She shook her head.
“She spoke like I’ll be able to turn it on. I’m completely out now though, I think I could only get her then because she was aiding me somehow. But I.” Pele closed her eyes softly.
She moved closer to the door, and started poking, tugging, pulling around a side area seemingly erratically till finally part of it gave away, exposing part of the insides. “Really, would turning it on really be this easy, there shouldn’t be any energy unless..a battery of course it would.”
Pele pushed some part of the inner workings, and Kencil heard a click, then Pele re-closed the part she pulled away, as lights started to show up beneath it.
Pele just laughed, shaking her head, “And of course I need a password. Not just that simple.”
For her part Pele was seeming, her emotions were a bit out of whack, high tense. But feeling a bit manic, right now on a high, full of energy.
Kencil couldn’t help it, this set of emotions she feels, they are starting to build high in Pele, she’s worried, this can’t be good for Pele’s stress. Yeah she got some kind of light, mom would say turned on? “Sis, we can save this for another day, you need somewhere to calm down. You’ve..you’ve got it turned on please.”
Pele laughed, it didn’t sound normal, an almost cackle, “Oh no, don’t worry, we’ll have somewhere, this building, it has a downstairs dosn’t it. A large downstairs I bet huh? All I need to know is the way in, what did she say my favorite flower. What are the markings on this thing.” She studdied the pad, her laughter more manic, Kencil starting to realize she’s in Pele’s grip, in trying to be support she’s become trapped.
Kencil frowned, “Pele please!” Instead the Delphox just pulled out her twig, she didn’t light it, she just stared at the twig, then started to push at random part of the lit up portion of the door, some sort of odd sound coming out with each push.
But then, then the door just slid open. Pele did know how to do it, she knew how to enter mom’s old home.
And Pele just walked in like she owned the place, they entered the main room, this was where mom did her dealings with the public, Kencil was rarely in this area, but to her understanding it’s set up more for her ability to detect the future. And Pele, pele, she was seeming more manic, she was laughing, her motions were pointing to her finding something incredulous.
Pele opened the doorway and entered into the dining and food preperation area Ena had. Some of the old food serving items were still here. Kencil by now was starting to remember so much, feel so much. This was her old home, where mom was, but now it’s her and Pele, and Pele’s emotions are dangerously high.
Then she perked, Pele’s emotions changed, longing, strong strong longing, pain, she was feeling hurt, from what Kencil could tell she missed something. And tears started to flood Pele’s eyes while she stared into space, and she steadies herself using a table. Kencil tried maybe a mental connection.
“ Pele please, pele! Snap out of it sis. What’s wrong!”
For all her efforts Kencil got a gentle kiss on the forehead, and she was shhed lovingly. And otherwise Pele went quiet. And by now her emotions where becoming overwhelming. Kencil had to actively stop looking at them. And yet Pele acted calm, it was as if she was watching something, or living a memory. Is she remembering herself as mom now perhaps? How far did Celebi go when it came to changing big sis?
Pele carried her out of the kitchen back to the main room, then down a different hallway that started at the middle back of the room, traveling down to a door. Kencil knew this place already, it’s where her and little sis would sometimes spend the day playing. It had a pen with a soft bottom and toys. And Pele just stands there, watching, waiting quietly.
Kencil had to try again, “Sis, sis, what’s going on, what are you doing, please sis, you’re so quiet. You’re scaring me. Pele please!”
Instead Pele carried her over to an old chair, one that allowed simple back and forth movement, a simple rocking motion. Then she perked as Pele sung, a variation of an old song mom used to sing.
“Hush little one it’ll be all right, Sisters going to hold on tight. When you awaken tomorrow you’ll see, you’ll again be full of energy. So rest my sister on through the night, until the coming of the morning light.”
Kencil couldn’t help it, this just reminds her so much of when she was a whelp, she’s being treated just like she was one now, and yet..and yet. The rocking, everything, just like mom..she..she just. Why, how, why is this, this still relaxing. She’s starting to blush not just because she was treated like this as a whelp, but because it’s working.
And into slumber she slips.
The Healing of a whelp.
Something is wrong with Gleam and it’s worrying Ezelle greatly. He finally stops, nothing got a reaction from the fennekin. Then he perked, bringing his other feelers down, gently holding them on the fennekin, pretending he’s rubbing the kit but he noticed a new sensation from his feelers. It’s very dull but, helplessness, he’s detecting a feeling of helplessness in Gleam, and something else..something he doesn’t have a word for but it’s dulling Gleam’s feelings, it isn’t that he’s having problems feeling them, something is dulling those feelings.
Ezelle sighed, “But all of them, you got sort of attached didn’t you? It isn’t just that you were there for their deaths. They were what you had in the way of parents, uncles, aunts. However you want to put it, they were the adults you got attached to, and saw as family.” Ezelle ear folded at Gleam nodded again, looking down, “And you were the only one to see all of them die. Each and everyone died in your presence, or ordered you to leave them to die.”
Ezelle shhhed him softly, “You don’t need to explain yourself. We can talk later when you arn’t a ball of emotions and feelings ok? Just try to calm down, while daddy talks to his team mates, ok little twig?” Gleam nodded more, blushing.
His two teamates looked to Ezelle, mouths wide open, “Papa? Daddy? Ezelle what is--”
Ezelle cut them off, “Quiet, now, he’s humiliated about it enough as it is. It’s a lot to explain everything but, last night I made a mistake. Didn’t realize I was making it, and didn’t realize why I was making that mistake.” He sighed softly looking to Gleam, “I’m sorry to be talking about you while you are here my son but, I need to explain what’s going on. Don’t worry these two will keep quiet about what’s gone on, you can trust them. I know Hoppip was wanting a chance to play and train with you again anyway.”
Gleam for his part nodded, but perked listening, “M-M-mistake?”
Ezelle sighed, “Don’t take it badly Gleam, you’re my boy, and I won’t take it back. I just didn’t mean for you to imprint on me but, it’s already happened, I’ll deal with the fallout from Pele myself ok?”
He looks back to Gleam, “Now let me guess, as I said something scares you a bit. You feel it’s silly, not something you should need help on, you’ve gotten past it long ago or whatever.” He pulls Gleam up to his muzzle, nose to nose, staring into his eyes, “No matter how smart you are, no matter how intelligent you are, no matter how much you can still teach others. You are still a whelp, that means you also need help like a whelp, even if what scares you seems silly to your adult mind.”
Gleam’s ears fall as he’s talked at and talked about, then suddenly eye to eye, whinin and gulping, he nods, whimpering a bit, blushing hotly and looking down, “scared another bad dream.”
Skitty perks, “Is that it? Even I wouldn’t want another bad dream..” He looks up to Ezelle, “Can we just.all hang out with him while doing our little pre-meeting? Maybe with us around he’d feel better? Just laying close. He can at least drowse comfortably that way.”
And with that he scruffs Gleam, who yelps then whines lightly as he’s carried right off and the two head to out of town. The little fennekin going limp, gulping softly and watching as scenery goes by, trying for the time to keep calm. While a nearly wild skitty carries him off, and now out of town.
Flint growls more at Gleam, a bit threateningly, who for his part continues to stay pretty well still, though Ralts continues to detect worry from the kit, in fact she’s starting to get it more and more from the room, while Flint continues, “What are you even trying to insinuate, nothing is wrong. I have been leading the pack pretty well. The best I can, then you swoop in, think you can change the pack? I am not going wild.”
Gleam earfolds and sighs, closing his eyes, “Then why are you threatening your partner? The one who when you saw for the first time in months you immediately curled around and slept with? Why are you leading a pack, and not a guild? Why are you worried about me changing the pack, when I just want to help the town rebuild? Being able to be with you, my partner. And all of you, my friends. And to help rebuild this town is the entire reason why Celebi let me come back.”
Flint perks a moment then flinches, tail lowering as he backs off a little bit, closing his eyes.
Gleam sighs, “Don’t feel too bad, you arn’t the only one driven near wild. You just happen to be one of the more important. But this is why you need a vacation. Before you wind up like I am.”
That got a few peoples attention, with vulpix starting to speak up, “Gleam, while I see what you mean about Rockruff, you arn’t anywhere near wild.”
At that point Gleam laughed, and laughed hard, most started wondering what was wrong.
Gleam tapped his badge, removing his suspension for the time being, then opened up command mode, “Activate full menu, authorization Gleam, List roles for Fennekin.”
“Roles for Fennekin: Gleam: GuildMaster, Team Leader for Team Terraflare, Team Founder for Team TerraFlare. Trainer.”
Pele earperked looking at Gleam, “Wait what?”
Gleam continued, “I found that secret mode Rattata just mentioned. Trainer Gleam would like to add Rockruff Flint to his party.”
That really got Pele’s attention, everybody perked though, and Rockruff stood up his badge glowing in acknowledgement, then Gleams badge spoke out again, “Rockruff Flint registered to Trainer Gleam, added to current team. Pepper, and Flint.”
Pele started, Gleam shhhed a moment, “Just a bit more. Status Flint.”
“Rockruff Flint, Status…” At that point it read off his nature, and his approximate stats, the current moves he had reserves for, but it got to the fun part soon, “Wilding status, 80% wild.”
Flint earperked at that and whined, gulping and folding his ears. A few others looking at the rockruff worriedly.
Pele perked, “Gleam this, this sounds like…”
Gleam nodded, “Trainer command, connection status.”
“PC unavailable, Transfer Unavailable, Trade unavailable, central connection unavailalbe.”
“Some of that was for Pele’s benefit, this, this is using technology of where I’m from. Specifically technology that is used in capturing and training pokemon.”
Gleam earperked, mrrfing and opening his eyes slowly, “I spose you’re ready for me to get up with an attack like that though.” he blink blinks a moment, at the scene before him, “What the…” He gulps lightly, seeing straight walls, not the curved one’s he’s used to in most pokemon construction. The windows, are actual rectangular windows with glass in them, and covered by shades. Is that a dresser over there? He starts to whine a little bit, Flint looking down at him worriedly.
“Gleam, Gleam what’s wrong? What’s wrong Gleam.”
Gleam for his part whimpers a bit more, looking up at Flint worriedly, he squirms more, “Wh, where are we? I...th-this looks human, did we get captured by someone? What happened I--”
Gleam listened in, while he wanted to sleep, in all honesty his sleep had already been ruined twice, at this point he wasn’t sure he’d be able to rejoin his nap. He more wanted some soft talking to help keep him half awake, but even still he was slowly waking up fully. Felt a bit sorry for Bunnelby though, she was shaking, nervous, and worried. Unfortunately for her, part of her wild tendencies could be quite destructive, she’s been apparently digging up quite a storm. In her mind making tunnels to help people get around, is how she’s slowly rationalized it, but a lot of the houses that are having issues, have been due to her digging.
As much as that is troublesome, it isn’t her fault in full. Like other’s she’s slowly going wild, he wonders how to handle that. He really should be trying to rest though but, here is another friend going wild, forget rest he'll just have to deal with being cranky. She's probably heavily useful in the dungeons and is overworked there. Best thing to do is to probably find a good outlet for her urge to dig. He feels her shaking again, she's scared she's in big trouble or something, he hasn't been paying enough attention to the talk to know exactly why.
Well he needs to yawn anyway, see if he can give her something cute, if he's some cute whelp he might as well use it. With that thought he just lets some of his instincts take over, rolling onto his back, giving off a high pitched squeaky tongue curling yawn, stretching out his legs, his forelegs winding up shaking from the long stretch, and he ends with rapidly swating at the air a few times, just really from reflex.
He's satisfied when he heard Bunnelby go oh my then giggle a little bit. He's surprised when one of his swats catches the end of an ear. Hearing Bunnelby giggle a moment, he gets the idea and begins to paw and grab at the ear which she giggles and starts to bob up and down, in and out of his reach. Right now he's just being silly and playing along with it but considers and begins to more actively try to grab at the ear. He could use some exercise anyway, after a bit he finds she lets him grab the ear, next thing he knows he's popped it into his muzzle and is lightly gnawing on it.
Sherry starts to pad over, and soon there is a wall of whelps in front of her, “Get Mama!”
Sherry pauses, she’s never seen the whelps act quite this way, “Look I just want to see Gleam what are all of you doing, why are--”
“Get Mama!”
Flint already having the idea begins contacting Pele and Rattata. While Sherry frowns, “I just want to see little fluff, you shouldn’t interrupt his training.” The whelps frowns, “Get Mama! Gleam hurt get Mama! Stop being mean to Gleam, get Mama!”
Sherry perked, definitely caught off guard by that.
Pele sighs, “I would honestly not try to burden you with this, but all of you started on your own. And I would like us to work together, and for all of you whelps to be able to calm down about trying to take care of Gleam. That is our job as adults, as minders. I do appreciate that each of you love Gleam enough to help watch out for him.” She looks to Rattata again, “But when you cry, and say sorry for not watching Gleam close enough, well something is off yaknow? You say sorry for when you accidentally do something and mess up, not when you don’t correctly do someone else's job. I appreciate you watching out for Gleam, but what happened is not your fault, it’s Sherry for misunderstanding how training works.”
Gleam looked up in surprise, his ears perking, jaw dropping. Tears of both embarrassment and joy coming to his eyes even as he starts to blush as he looks up at the Aggron. “M-M-M-Macqoyre?! Is-is-is is that really you? H-h-how did you get he--”
Gleam’s train of thought is stopped in it’s tracks as 4 more very familiar adult pokemon step out. Looking down at the young whelp, they all seem happy to see him.
Gleam just left speechless, and rather embarrassed to be seen as he is.
Pele closes her eyes then looks to Shii, “I must warn you, be ready for what is to come. I did not want to cause you too much pain but, now that you’ve been dungeon trained it’s time I finally got another Guardian. But---”
She nods solemnly, “I know, I’ve talked with the others about their little trinkets. I get to see Mom die, but this will let her be with me in spirit.”
Pele sighs, “I know it won’t be fun but, at least you’ll know what happened. And as always I’ll be here for you my dear.”
Shii shakes her head, “You still haven’t figured it out? It’s obvious, from how Gleam acts how they died. What happens when little bro has nightmares, the guilt he feels. I already know what happened, I already know how they died. The fact he’s so messed up from what we are about to see just tells me I probably won’t hate him too much after seeing this.” Shii sighs.
Pele perks, “What do you mean, you already know what happened to them? You won’t hate him? Shii?”
Shii sighs, “I might as well prepare you for it then, I’m as prepared as I can be.”
Shii looks up to Pele, “Pele, he killed them, he killed both of them, himself. No accident, no running away, no being shielded and protected like the others. He murdered my parents.”