Chapter Text
The Daffodil Daily
Breaking: New Guild Created to Contain the Growing Threat of Distortions
The Guild of Distortion Control was recently opened to the public last Wednesday. A press conference with Hyacinth’s Agency of Guild Administration revealed that they are desperate to do something to relieve the general populace of their fear, and therefore established the GDC to minimize the impact if any more Distortions open.
The appointed head of the GDC currently is Theo Rise. The Corviknight was recorded to have been the first Pokémon ever to close a Distortion. Admiring his bravery, the AGA concluded to grant Theo the status of Guildmaster.
The GDC has been assigned a stark, violet color to identify their properties and members.
For a complete index of guild colors, see page 7
For information on where this new guild is located and how to join it, turn to page 13
Mai sighed, and allowed the newspaper to fall onto the wooden table in front of her. Savoring the sweet taste of vanilla on her tongue, the Pikachu slurped up the last drops of her milkshake.
“W-wow, who knew this place would be so good?” spoke Mai, glancing around the cafe she sat in. “I thought it would be pretty lousy, given how barren this place is. N-not trying to say that empty means bad, of course!”
“Told you it would hit the spot!” Her Maractus friend serving her giggled. “I sure hope you tip me well for this! Arceus knows I need the money.”
“I know, I know…” grumbled Mai. The Pikachu reached into the bag on her side. “H-how much will it be?”
The Maractus smirked, glancing up at the clock at the back to Mai. “Well, normally it would be 12 Poké. But for you, darling?” The Grass-type winked at her friend. “15 Poké.”
Mai’s face fell. “H-hey! Whatever happened to your ‘friendship discount’!? C’mon, Sage!”
“Yeah, I remember our agreement.” Sage wore a smug expression. “-25% off.”
“Y-you’re kidding! I can't afford that!” Mai pouted. “Fine, fine. I’ll pay the 15 Poké…”
Sage rolled her eyes at the Pikachu. “Relax, I’m just teasing you. 12 Poké is fine.” The Maractus then looked up at the clock once again.
“T-thanks,” Mai muttered. She searched deeper in her bag. The Electric-type felt around, becoming increasingly desperate for her paws to land on the shimmering coins. There had to be some in the bag, Mai was sure she wouldn't forget something so important!
Unfortunately, Mai’s paws reached all the way to the bottom of the satchel without feeling any hard cash.
“S-shoot!”
Sage glared at her friend. “You're kidding me!”
“I r-really wish I was!” cried Mai. “T-the Poké must have fallen out on my way here!.”
Sage facepalmed. “Girl, c’mon. Being this forgetful is not gonna help your case with your family.”
“Hey!” shouted Mai. “I-I’ve been trying my best! its o-only a matter of time!” The Electric-type averted her eyes. “I-I just need to actually… Y’know… Walk up to the guild and ask… a-and also convince my family…” Despite having already eaten, Mai pretended to squint at the menu on the wall.
“Yeah, yeah. You've been saying that for the past three years!” spoke Sage. “You're gonna have to actually join it eventually!”
“Y-yeah. But not right now!”
Sage shrugged. “You do you, I guess. Now, where were we?” asked the Maractus rhetorically. “Ah yes, that’s right! My pay !”
“S-sorry, Sage. I don't know what to tell you!” responded Mai. “I-I can fetch the money and give it to you later maybe..? If you need to be on shift or something, I-I can tip you with the money I owe!” Mai's tail dropped towards the ground.
Sage took a deep breath, before giving Mai an annoyed look. “I suppose I could work with that. But I'm charging interest.”
“Then t-tomorrow! I’ll come back tomorrow and give it to you!” squealed Mai.
Sage huffed. “Fine. If I get fired, I’m blaming you.”
“T-thank you,” murmured Mai.
“I would say ‘no problem,’ but… I’m just gonna say ‘problem’ in this case and leave it at that,” replied Sage. The Maractus glanced at the clock above the door one final time, and smiled. “Finally! Shift’s over!” Sage ran out the door in a hurry. Mai could swear she heard the Grass-type exclaim “Can’t be late for my new job!” on the way out.
Doesn't she already have, l-like, 3 jobs? Mai questioned. The Pikachu plopped down from her chair, slung her bag over her shoulder, and walked out of the café.
***
“Dammit, I forgot to take off my uniform!”
***
Exiting the Café, Mai began treading down the worn brick pathways of the town’s streets. The familiar floral scents from the flowers growing on the side of the road wafted past the Pikachu, leading Mai to sneeze.
“Bless you!” chirped a Noibat flying by.
Mai responded with a polite thanks, before continuing her trek. The sun shone brightly high in the sky onto her through the budding trees, leaving Mai’s fur in its warm embrace. The large bells signaling the start of a new day echoed overhead, certainly awakening any Pokémon who remained asleep.
The Pikachu had always loved walking around her hometown of Hyacinth. It was the perfect mix of everything she loved. A lot of ‘mons lived in the bustling town, yet it was never too crowded. There was a vast variety in products you could buy, but never too many to choose from. There were many high quality products, but they were never too expensive. And, best of all?
It was boring, but never too boring.
Mai continued her walk, thinking over the errands she had to run today. Her family has asked her to drop off a package for them, which seemed easy enough. Just head to the Pelipper Post Office, and tell the local carriers to deliver it to Grandma Dessa in Coreopsis, and they'd take care of the rest.
Let’s see… First, take a left at the bakery… Then a right at the Kecleon Shop…
After walking past the many streets of tall brick buildings (including the well-known Portulaca Clocktower), Mai eventually wound up right beside the Pelipper Post Office. The Pikachu always got a faint chuckle out of its name. Despite being named after Pelippers, many other species of Pokémon worked there. I-it’s not even a family-owned business!
Mai shook her head, before taking a brief glance at the hill beside her. Yep, there’s the cave entrance everyone talks about. Mai shivered at the thought of it.
After the mysterious disappearance of an Eevee years ago in it, the entire cavern had been a topic to avoid around Hyacinth. Rumors say that, at night, you could see the poor Eevee’s spirit still wandering the maw of the cave.
Mai ignored it, and faced back forwards.
Well, normally Mai would ignore it. But, generally speaking, even mysterious, possibly haunted caves don't normally scream by themselves without reason.
“HELP ME!” cried out a feminine voice from inside the cave. “WON’T SOMEBODY HELP ME!?”
Mai jumped back at the intense yell, almost losing her footing. W-what the-!? What was that!?
A Dewott poked his head out the door of the post office. “Is that you screaming?”
“N-no!” sputtered out Mai. “I-I think someone’s stuck in the cave.” The Electric-type slowly added “Or maybe it’s a ghost? I don’t know.”
Conveniently, more screaming rang out at just that time. “OH, WON’T SOME ELEGANT, BEAUTIFUL LADY COME AND RESCUE ME!?” The voice quieted down, though Mai swore she briefly heard it whisper “Or a man too, I guess.”
The Dewott shrugged. “it's just some mysterious shouting coming from an ominous cave. I’ve seen weirder.”
“W-what!?”
Ignoring Mai, the Dewott approached the mouth of the cave, allowing the Electric-type to get a better look at him. The Dewott was wearing a faded pink cape, and had stunningly green eyes. The Dewott biologically seemed mostly normal, but was missing the webbing around his paws.
Once the Water-type reached the opening of the cavern, the Dewott opened his mouth, before yelling back at the voice. “DEPENDS. ARE YOU PAYING US!?”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” murmured the voice. “CAN YOU JUST GET DOWN HERE ALREADY!?”
The Dewott sighed. “Alright, looks like we’re doing this. Not what I woke up expecting today, but I suppose we have nothing better planned.”
“W-we!?” questioned Mai.
The Dewott raised an eyebrow as he took a step into the stony cavity. “Uh, yeah? Are you coming, Mai?”
“I g-guess,” replied Mai, fidgeting nervously.
“Great!” responded the Dewott. “Let’s go!”
The Water-type sprinted confidently into the open mouth of the cavern, disappearing into the darkness, before a loud thud rang out. “Ow! Fucking stalagmites!”
“I-I’m going to regret this, a-aren’t I?” Mai stammered. After a moment of hesitation, the Pikachu forced her legs to walk into the cave after the Dewott.
***
“BF1.”
“Aw, shush! This isn't even a dungeon!”
***
The duo’s footsteps pitter-pattered against the rocks, echoing off the walls. The Dewott carelessly ran into the depths, leaving Mai behind as she cautiously tried to avoid walking into the stalagmites.
From the shadows, Mai could hear the Dewott calling out. “Hey, so, funny story… I forgot a light source.”
“Y-you're kidding!” replied Mai, ears instinctively rotating in the direction of the noise. The Electric-type rapidly rubbed her paws on her scarlet cheeks, emitting small bursts of electricity that pierced the darkness. The shadows of stones and spikes raced along the walls of the cave in response. “B-better?”
The Dewott rushed towards the sparks of light as a moth does to a flame. “Thanks, Mai!” he chirped. “You lead the way!”
Something about his words put the electric rodent on edge. Her tail raised in alarm upon realizing what, and Mai clenched her paws over her bag. “N-no, thank you.”
“What?” The Dewott raised an eyebrow. “You have the light… Well, more like you are the light. I wouldn't be able to see where I’m going!”
“Yes,” Mai spoke, gritting her teeth. “But I never told you my name. A-and I’ve already lost enough money today.”
The Dewott averted his eyes. After a few moments, he turned back to Mai with renewed vigor. “Uh… Hey there, hot stuff, has anyone ever told you how gorgeous you loo-”
“Nice try. Get w-walking!”
Wordlessly, the Water-type took his place in front of Mai, and the pair trekked onwards.
After a few minutes of walking, the Dewott spoke up. “Yeah, sorry… The money you lost earlier was me.” The Water-type reached a paw into his bag. It reemerged with a few coins, totalling about 1,000 Poké. He also pulled out a store membership card that Mai hadn’t even noticed was missing.
“Of course it was…” murmured Mai. She took her money back and placed it into her own bag. “H-How do I know that the person calling for help isn't working with you?” The Pikachu’s eyes widened. “Shoot, I-I’ve walked right into a trap, haven’t I!? Arceus, I’m so stupid, I should have seen this coming! I need to-”
“Woah! Hey, I’m not heartless!” snapped the Dewott. “Awfully rude to assume, isn’t it!?”
Mai gave him a deadpan stare.
The Water-type sighed. “Fine, point taken. But the point is, I have no idea who’s stuck in this cave! I’ve always been the type to silently take some coins, not mug someone!” The Dewott pleadingly looked into Mai’s eyes. “Here, you can even take my bag if it helps you feel more safe!”
“Uh… T-thanks.” Mai obliged, opening her new bag and checking it. The bag seemed to be hand-stitched, but well-made. Opening it up to look at the inside, it appeared to be mostly empty, though there were a few magazines and a Reviver Seed. “How do you e-even get your hands on something called The Pickpocket Weekly !? For t-that matter, who even produces it!?”
“Honestly, no clue. It always just shows up in my bag in the pocket I normally store my money in.” The Dewott shrugged. “Listen, Mai. I'm sorry. I think we got off on the wrong foot.”
“Y-you literally robbed me!”
“Okay, true. But I’m really sorry about that!” The Dewott glanced away, before extending a paw. “My name’s Harper Getair.” Before Mai even responded, Harper squealed out “And I know its more of a girl’s name, you don't have to remind me!”
Mai hesitated, before taking his paw and shaking it. “Mai Juine, but you a-already knew that.” Her tail wagged anxiously.
“Yeah, I guess I did. I… probably shouldn't have done that, now that I think about it.” Harper looked at Mai’s original bag. “By the way, you should probably invest in a clasp or something. They make it really annoying to pickpocket someone, which is probably what you want.”
“Y-yeah, I guess that would help, wouldn’t it? responded Mai. “Thanks, I think?”
“Anytime.” Harper gestured forward. “Now, c’mon! Someone’s waiting for us.” The Dewott’s eyes lit up. “Along with some sweet, sweet cash!”
***
“S-so, what’s being a Water-type like?”
“Moist.”
“O-oh.”
***
“Geez, that woman’s voice must have traveled pretty far to get to the entrance,” murmured Harper. “We’ve been walking for a while now.”
“Oh, finally! You're here!” The aforementioned voice cut through the darkness. “I was getting pretty bored of waiting.”
“O-oh! We’re so s-sorry!” Mai rubbed the back of her head.
Harper snorted. “I’m not.”
An Eevee emerged from the darkness. “Now that's just rude.” Her brow furrowed, and her mouth was perfectly straight. The Eevee wore a strange amulet around her neck, softly glowing with red light. The amulet resembled a triangle inside a circle, both made of obsidian. Three lines of the dark stones reached into the triangle from its edges, meeting in the center.
“S-so, why were you calling for help?” Mai smiled at the Eevee. Inside however, she was shivering with fear. Was this an apparition standing in front of her!?
The Normal-type responded with a devilish smirk. “In short, I’m stuck here until I do a friend a favor.”
“What is it?” inquired Harper.
“You see, this friend of mine was… wrongly imprisoned. I need someone's help to free them.”
Mai began slowly inching backwards and dimmed the electricity she was emitting with her cheeks, vanishing into the darkness. Harper, on the other hand, slowly inched towards the Eevee.
“Well, it certainly explains why you’re in a cave then! Don’t want to get the authorities involved!” the Dewott chuckled.
“Finally, someone gets it!!” spoke the Eevee. “So, you in?”
Harper shrugged. “Eh, I’m bored. Might as well, it sounds… interesting, at any rate! What do I have to do for this operation? And, more importantly…” The Water-type’s eyes sparkled like diamonds. “...How much will I be getting paid?”
“I promise you’ll be rewarded handsomely. You’re going to have to wait until we finish the other parts of the plan, though. Just stay patient. I’m sure they’ll give you whatever you want once they’re back in power.”
“Well, that’s needlessly ominous!” Harper winked. “Luckily, that’s never particularly dissuaded me! What’s the first step?”
The red glow of the amulet was pouring forth intensely now, as though an incomprehensible amount of energy laid within it. “Just stay nice and still,” responded the Eevee.
“Oh…” Harper rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. “This is one of those freaky demonic rituals, isn't it..?”
“Yep.” With a snap of her paws, dark energy appeared above the Eevee’s head. The world bent and twisted around it like light does a black hole.
Harper’s eyes widened. “Uh…” The Dewott frantically made his laws into finger guns. “Say, has anyone ever told you how stunning you look?”
“Sorry.” The Eevee smirked. “You aren't my type.”
And in a flash of crimson light, Harper fell onto the ground, and the Eevee vanished.
***
“And they said my trap was too obvious.”
***
The air in the cave felt horribly wrong to breathe in. It twisted and turned around in Mai’s lungs, moving around like some sort of sentient creature. The stones felt warped, as though they were horribly bending the longer Mai looked at them.
The Pikachu sprinted through to where she remembered the exit to be, praying she didn't walk into any walls. Only short bursts of electricity were used to see. She had to stay undetected, after all!
The shadows consumed Mai as she began to lose her sense of direction. Eventually, the Electric-type risked a few shocks to illuminate her path.
Only to find two different tunnels to travel through, one going right and one going left. Dotted around the area we're deep holes, filled with water. Deciding not to test if the water was as deep as it looked, Mai observed the two routes before her.
W-wasn’t there only one path!? thought Mai. Are t-there any road signs or directions!? Mai sighed, and pulled out a coin of Poké, glimmering in the dim light admitted from the Pikachu’s cheeks. Heads I go right, tails I go left.
Mai popped the coin up into the air, a satisfying dinging sound being emitted by the action. The currency rose elegantly, rapidly approaching the peak of its ascent. Spinning around as it fell, the coin rapidly increased in speed. Eventually, the coin reached the ground, landing on… a rock, causing it to bounce into a hole of water with an echoing ker-plunk .
Mai groaned, leaning in and staring into the pit. Her cheeks shone brighter, endeavoring to catch the light of her coin. The murky water shone only ripples and a hazy reflection of Mai back at her, her light failing to pierce its depths.
Yeah, I’m not going to risk hopping into that… Mai rose, and stared back at the paths in front of her. W-well, you know what they say, right is always right! T-they do say that, right..?
After a moment of contemplation, Mai took the tunnel on her right.
A few moments after Mai left the area, the water bent and twisted. A coin rose out of the abyss, glowing with a startling red light.
An energetic, yet deep voice let out a booming chuckle. The voice seemed to be coming from nowhere, yet everywhere all at once. “Another object discarded like myself. A pity.” The voice became much more peppy and cheery after saying that. “Fortunately, this show’s got a loser’s bracket! I’ll gladly grant you a second chance at stardom! Or whatever the equivalent is for a coin, I guess. I suppose I've rambled on with an inanimate object long enough.”
A snap was heard, and the coin’s form began to change. It remained a coin, but a hook materialized on it. Connected to the now hooked coin was a blue, seal-like form, its eyes closed.
“Wakey-wakey, it's time for the bonus round!”
The new Brionne’s eyes shot wide open. It looked down at its blue fur, and admired its very average looking flippers. “What the fuck!?” The Brionne grasped its own head. “Gah! Is this what ‘thinking’ is like!? And why am I a Pokémon!? I remember being a coin!” The Brionne frowned slightly. “...Which, now that I think about it, doesn’t make a lot of sense, given how I had no consciousness, and therefore no memory…”
“Ding ding ding! Right on the money!” The voice cackled for a few moments, before calming down. “Oh, I'm sorry, is it rude to say that to a sentient piece of currency?” The voice giggled. “Anyways, your prize is the wonderful gift of life! If you win the rest of the show, I’ll even let you keep it!”
“What does that even mean!?” the Brionne snapped, before sighing. “Fine, what do I have to do to win this… show?”
“Simple! Y’know the Pikachu that discarded you?”
“Obviously.” The Brionne rolled its eyes. “I’ve been stuck in her bag for weeks! Well, before that other ‘mon took me.” The Water-type grinned. “Most interesting thing to happen to me all year!”
“Splendid! Now, if you want to win it big, I need that ‘mon’s life energy!”
The Brionne sighed. “I swear to what’s-their-name… Let me guess, I have to murder someone?”
“Ding ding ding! 50 more points for the Brionne!”
“And what would happen if I refused?” the Brionne inquired.
“Well…”
“...”
“...C'mon, where’s my sound effect button!?” muttered the voice.
The Brionne tapped her flippers. “I’m tempted to just leave if you’re this incompetent.”
“I am perfectly competent! Just… a bit disorganized right now. Would you mind making a dramatic slicing sound for me?”
“Bye.” The Brionne gave a mock salute, before pacing towards the right tunnel.
“Oh, forget it. Point is, consider yourself eliminated if you don't get that life energy for me!” the voice chirped. “And no, you don’t get to keep your prize!”
The Brionne stopped in its tracks. “Okay, so I don’t have a choice. Got it. Can we just get this over with?”
“Wow, way to ruin my fun. Fine, just so long as you get me that life energy. After that, I’ll get out of your life.”
With that, the Brionne dragged itself through the right tunnel, ignoring the sharp pains from the rocks digging into its skin.
***
“Honestly, I’m tempted to dock points just for that attitude.”
***
Mai wandered around the winding path she chose, eyes peeled for anything out of the ordinary. Her ears twitched at the slightest of sounds. After bumping into a wall for a fifth time, Mai finally relented and let her cheeks glow with the yellow color of lightning.
”H-how long have I even been in h-here?” pondered Mai as she traveled. “I-it's kinda hard to tell without the sun.”
A splashing sound in the distance caused Mai to stop in her tracks. “H-Harper, is that you!?”
A spray of water poured out from the darkness, gently leaving a few puddles. The Brionne slid through the water.
“Holy shit, was no one going to tell me how awesome water feels!?” It grinned, before turning towards Mai. “And who’s Harper?”
“O-oh. Just some Dewott I m-met.”
“Oh yeah! The ‘mon with the really comfortable bag!” The Brionne’s face lit up.
Mai sputtered. “H-how in Arceus’ name do you even know that!?”
“Ah, yes, Arceus! That was their name!” The Brionne smirked in satisfaction. “Anyways, just hear me out…”
“I’m l-listening.” Mai smiled reassuringly.
The Brionne took a deep breath. “I'm a sentient coin of Poké.”
Mai groaned, before sitting down on a rock.
“I’ve also been directed to kill you by an ominous voice,” the Brionne elaborated.
Mai silently screamed. “W-what has my life become!?” Mai sighed. “S-so, um… are you going to do it..?” The Pikachu tensed up.
The Brionne shook its head. “Please, I’m not so dumb to seriously consider a deal from some creepy voice a good one. I wasn’t born yesterday.”
“Yeah, y-you were born today, from what I understand.”
“Touché.”
Mai sat down on the most comfortable rock she could find. “I-I feel like you should just start from the beginning.”
***
“I-I have so many questions.”
“You can ask later.”
“N-no I can’t! Not if y-you disappear or die or whatever the voice will do if you don't kill me!”
“Well, do you have any idea of how to avoid that!?”
“...M-maybe.”
***
“This is a terrible idea,” muttered the Brionne.
Mai frowned. “I k-know. But we don’t have any better ones!”
“Listen; Thank you, I really appreciate what you’re doing. However… you don’t have to put your life on the line.” The Brionne layed down on a fresh puddle of water, enjoying the soothing sensation of it.
Mai smiled. “No, I-I do. You’re a g-guaranteed sacrifice if I don’t.”
The Brionne sighed. “Fine. I’ll try to make it quick. Don’t panic.”
Mai patted the Brionne on the shoulder. “T-thank you. You remember the steps, right?”
“Yeah. Not looking forward to it.”
Mai averted her gaze. “Neither am I, f-frankly.” Mai stood silent for a moment, before asking a question. “C-can I ask for your name before we do this? I’m Mai Juine.”
The Brionne rolled its eyes, but still smiled. “I know, I was seated next to that membership card that Dewott stole.”
Mai pouted. “Oh, c-come on! Why does e-everyone already know my name!?”
“What a freaky coincidence, two people knowing your name before meeting you. I suppose it is pretty weird that we both found your name by going through your bag though,” spoke the Brionne sarcastically. “And I don’t have a name. So…” The Brionne reached out a flipper. “Call me Sasha Alisam!”
“A-alright, nice to meet you, Sasha!” Mai shook it. H-did she come up with a name so quick!? “So, um… do you have a Sleep Seed? I-I don’t want this to hurt.”
“No, but the Dewott did, if I remember his bag correctly.” Sasha pointed to one of the bags on Mai’s shoulders.
“A-ah! Thank you!” The Electric-type reached a paw into a bag. “F-found it!” Mai's eyes widened, and she pulled it out.
“Sweet! Are you ready?” Sasha forced a smile.
Mai frowned. “Honestly? No.” Her heart hammered out of her chest. “I’m t-terrified right now! This is a horrible idea, why did I suggest it!? I’m such an idiot!”
“Hey!” Sasha shouted at Mai. “You aren’t stupid! You’re literally one of the nicest ‘mon I’ve met!”
Mai rubbed her arm. “I’m t-the only ‘mon you’ve met. T-that’s not a creepy voice, I mean!”
“Dear Arceus! Listen, I’m really not looking forward to this either.” Sasha’s left eye twitched. She fiddled nervously with her coin earring. “...We can always figure out a new plan, if it makes you happy!”
Mai sighed. “I’ll d-do it. You d-don’t seem like t-to go back on your promise and l-leave me in cold blood.” Mai’s eyes widened. “Y-you aren’t planning on doing that, r-right!?”
Brionne responded with a deadpan expression. “If I were, I’d have tried to already kill you by now.”
“I-I suppose that’s true…” Mai hesitated, before she bit down on the pink, coral-like Sleep Seed. Immediately, her eyelids drooped. “O-oh, wow, that’s strong… Please don’t… let me d-die…” The Pikachu curled up on hard ground. Light snoring sounds came from the ball of fuzz.
Sasha sighed. “Alright, time for the unpleasant part. Let’s get this over with.”
***
“Heya, Arceus! Sorry I’m late! I forgot to return my uniform from my last job, so I went back, but ran into someone I knew, and we talked for a while, and I lost track of time! And then I realized I forgot to buy some groceries, so I did that! And then I realized I still forgot to take off my uniform, so that’s why I still have it on. Oh, and then I stumbled across some young guildee children who started harassing me for not being a part of one, so then I—”
“Thou were meant to be here two hours ago!”
***
Sasha stood over the now temporarily deceased Mai. “And now, I pray that Mr. Ominous Voice is quick on the uptake.”
“Did someone call?” The shadows shifted and curved, as though something big were moving through them. The voice came closer and closer, until eventually Sasha could tell it was present.
“Yeah, yeah. Did you get the ‘life energy’ you needed?”
“Yep! Which means… CONGRATULATIONS” An applause sounded across the cave. “You win! And you know what that means… A FREE BODY!” The voice giggled. “Well, technically two free bodies, if we count the dead one.”
“Shut up and leave already.”
“Wow, not even a thank you? Rude. You’re lucky I’m a ‘mon of my word!” With that, the short interaction ended, and the presence vanished.
After a moment of making sure the presence was really gone, Sasha immediately went up to Mai’s body and slipped a budding seed into the Pikachu’s mouth. “This better work!”
***
“Mmm, delicious life energy! I can’t believe mortals don’t eat each other daily! Now, where did I put my ketchup?”
***
“Hello, welcome to the afterlife! Please wait as we decide where you will g— Mai!?”
Thus was the greeting Mai received upon death. “O-oh, hi Sage! Did y-you also die?” The Pikachu glanced around the room she found herself in. The walls and ground were white, and a sterile smell filled the air, much like the waiting room of a doctor’s office. Plastic chairs were dotted around the area, along with a table, a few plants, and a stack of magazines.
“I work here.” Sage shrugged, before continuing. “But let’s not just gloss over the fact that you died in the few hours we were apart!”
Mai averted her eyes. “She should be giving me a Reviver Seed right now! I-it was all consensual!”
Sage perked up. “Oh?” A sly smirk formed on the face of the Maractus. “Sounds spicy! Tell me more!”
“N-not like that!” Mai squealed, her face flushed.
Sage giggled. “I’m just teasing, Mai! I’m glad you’ll be back alive before long!” The Grass-type gestured to the stack of magazines. “Sit down and help yourself to some sweet gossip! I’ll tell Arceus to let you in when they’ve finished with the current guy.”
Mai obliged, shuffling through the stack on the table. “Oh, T-The Pickpocket Daily ! Y-you guys have that?”
“No, I don’t think so…” Sage glanced over, noticing the magazine held in Mai’s paws. “Oh, huh. Guess we do.” Sage filed through the paperwork that laid on her desk. “Arceus must have gotten it while I was out on break.”
“W-weird,” muttered Mai. “W-wait, you were hired by Arceus!?”
“Yep!” Sage smirked. “Jealous?”
Mai smiled brightly. “D-depends on your pay.”
“I am not allowed to discuss my pay at this time,” responded Sage, a deadpan look on her face.
Mai immediately stopped smiling. “O-oh.”
With that, the two Pokémon sat in silence, Mai patiently reading whilst Sage continued going through her paperwork.
After what felt like ten minutes but was probably only half a second because of divine interference, Sage snapped to attention. “Oh, hey, Arceus says they’re ready for you!” A wall flashed gold for a moment, before a door appeared on it. “Head on in!” Sage nodded her head encouragingly towards Mai.
The Pikachu rose from her seat, and slowly moved towards the door. One step after another… One step after another… Mai reached her paw on the knob, and turned it.
The door opened silently, revealing a stunning marble cathedral, stained glass windows shining a brilliant light into the holy room. Floating in the center of the room was a white, quadrupedal form. It emitted a faint radiant light.
“Greetings, mortal. I am the one thou know as Arceus. Bask in my glory,” Arceus spoke, their voice echoing through the air in all directions.
“W-wow… T-this room really has g-good acoustics,” gasped Mai in awe.
Arceus… grinned? They didn't have a mouth, so Mai would guess that it was more like they sent out an aura of positivity akin to a grin. Creepy…
“Only the highest amount of reverb is properly befitting for the God of all Pokémon.” Arceus’s chest puffed out.
Mai shuddered. “S-sorry for wasting your time like this, Almighty One. S-someone’s currently reviving me outside, so I-I’ll probably be gone in a little…”
Arceus smiled/radiated good vibes upon being called the Almighty One. “Well, that someone shall not succeed. Thy life energy is gone, hence thy cannot be revived.”
“O-oh,” Mai muttered. “W-wait! S-so, I’m just… dead now? I thought this was a good plan!”
“Patience, mortal! I never said that!” spoke Arceus. “Though thou would be deceased by now under most circumstances, I have a favor to ask of thou.”
“W-what is it!?” broke out Mai. “I d-don’t want to be dead forever! T-this was such an awful idea! I know my plans can lead to issues, but never this big! I shouldn’t have—”
Arceus gazed down at Mai. “Silence mortal, and I shalt tell you what I just ask of thou!” After Mai quieted down, Arceus continued. “Thou art aware of the phenomena mortals call Distortions, are you not?”
Mai nodded.
“Upon your revival, I must ask that thee assist in destroying each one thee can find. Else, the entire world may collapse.”
“W-wait!” Mai’s eyes widened. “The world’s in danger!? I-isn’t there supposed to be a human who d-does this stuff!?”
“Indeed,” said Arceus. “However, there is already a human in this realm, and Hoopa shalt berate me if another is summoned.”
Mai nodded empathetically, trying her best to stifle her laughter at the thought of a literally divine being getting scolded. “O-okay. So… Uh… Do you just revive me now?”
Arceus nodded. A portal opened up in the back of the cathedral, glowing a prominent white color. Through the rip in space-time, Mai could see her own body laid upon the rocky surface of the cave. “That is the mortal realm. I have gifted thou part of my life energy as well. Merely step through the portal, and thou—”
The eastern wall of the citadel was suddenly blown to smithereens. When the dust cleared, an ominous figure stood there.
“And tonight on Suddenly Silenced, we have a special guest. Arceus, is there anything you want to say to the cameras?”
Arceus backed away in shock, the portal still swirling behind them. “Giratina! How hath thou cometh to my domain!? And why art thou trespassing upon it!?”
Giratina cackled. “Using your ‘Ask an Expert’ right off the bat, huh? Very well then!” Giratina winked, before somehow summoning a top-hat and monocle. Putting on a mock, deeper voice, the Ghost-Dragon began to speak. “It is of my opinion that I, Giratina, have come to this painfully drab abode to take back my rightful position that you disgracefully exiled me from! Along with this, I will regain my true power and form!” Giratina removed their hat and monocle, and returned their voice to its normal pitch. “And the portal you opened up leading to that girl’s body is also inside one of my Distortions! Hence, I invited myself in!”
Mai silently stared at the situation before her in horror. A bit after Giratina finished their speech, she began slowly walking closer to the portal. Her fur bristled with fear.
“I fear not thine abilities! I took the Griseous Orb away from thou for a reason, and I shalt burn before I return it to thee!!”
“I told you, call it the Platinum Orb, Arcy! It sounds cooler!” whined Giratina. “And, if you insist on keeping it from me, I’m afraid I have no choice but to take it from you!”
“Attempt it, fool!” replied Arceus.
Giratina glared at the Almighty One, before breaking out into a grin. “Oh, yes… Yes, I have a great idea for a bonus round!” The Renegade Pokémon giggled to themself. “I'll give you a taste of being inferior like me, able to only watch as your creation is destroyed around you!!” Eventually, Giratina’s giggles became full-on maniacal laughter. The sound boomed across the marble walls of the citadel.
“W-well that’s freaky…” muttered Mai.
Noticing her shudder, Giratina directed their attention to Mai. “Aw, thanks! I practiced it for a while! it's a shame I had to take your Life Energy. You would be really fun if you were alive!”
“Enough,” spoke Arceus. “I shalt silence thou for all of time. Face my divine Judgment!” The Almighty One stopped their hooves on the ground, summoning brilliant spears of light around them. In an instant, all the javelins pointed directly towards Giratina, and shot forward!
Giritina simply sidestepped them all. The Dragon-Ghost retaliated by melding into the shadows, before reappearing right in front of Arceus. “Surprise!”
Giratina raked their claws across Arceus's body. Mai made a mad dash for the portal, as Arceus themself flew towards her in agony. The two collided, the sheer force of Giratina’s attack forcing them both behind the boundaries, and into the portal.
And into the portal
An- i-to the po-tal
-n- i–o t-e -o-tal
–- -–o t– -o–-l
— —- — —---
***
“Hey, Arceus, there’s an issue in the— Who the fuck are you!?”
“Your new supervisor!”
“...Can I get a raise?”
“No.”
***
“Oh, hey, you’re finally awake!” a voice snapped at Mai. “I was worried sick, you know!?”
The Pikachu blinked open her dreary eyes. Blinking the dust out of them, Mai stood up. “Oh, h-hey Sasha! M-my plan worked!” Immediately after, a sharp pain went through Mai’s head. “Gah! W-why do I have this headache?”
“Well, you see, it took me a bit before I got to use the Reviver Seed. Distortion, I thought you were gone!” shouted Sasha. ”I had carried your body with me for a while since you were out,” Sasha spoke. “And then, I felt your energy change… Or something like that. Hell if I know. I was literally born less than an hour ago!”
Testing what Sasha meant, Mai tried to light her cheeks up like normal. Nothing came out. “O-oh. O-oh no, this is bad!” Mai breathed deeply, in and out. In… and out… “Wait, how can we see, then?”
“I think the water might be glowing slightly or something? I don’t know.” replied Sasha, not confident in her response. “But my money’s on something to do with that Nickit over there.” The Brionne gestured one of her flippers to a corner of a room. Sure enough, there seemed to be an almost illuminating aura radiating from the Dark-type.
The Nickit’s body seemed elegantly groomed. They wore a golden collar of intricate design, which seemed to be the source of the light spreading across the room. They seemed to have green dots under their eyes as well. The Nickit laid on the ground, unconscious.
“Mai, we don’t have all day to stare and gawk at this guy. You notice that that glow is fading?” Sure enough, the light did appear to be dimming slightly by the second. Sasha slid up to the Nickit. “Mind helping me carry them?”
“N-not at all!” Mai chirped, running towards where the Nickit was. Looking down at the fox-like Pokémon, Mai reached out a hand.
Only for a dark claw to reach out instead.
“Gah! What in t-the Distortion World is that!?” Mai rapidly backed away, fretful that the claws could harm the Nickit.
“I have no fucking idea!” Sasha backpedaled as well, before squinting. “Wait a second… Mai, something about you looks off.”
The Pikachu looked down at her body. Say, does my fur feel more… artificial? Mai reached one of the claws ( her claws, she reminded herself) onto her fur. Sure enough, they connected with soft fabric, which she had to be careful not to tear. Now that Mai thought about it, it did feel like she was wearing a cloak or something.
“I…” Mai shifted her footing uncomfortably. “I don’t think I-I can handle this.”
Sasha nodded. “Fair.” She then gestured with her head to the Nickit. “I say we just grab that guy, and use them as light for now. We have bigger things to worry about… probably.”
“I-I… Yeah, let’s do… that,” spoke an exhausted Mai. With that, the duo lifted the Nickit up by the legs, and began to cautiously walk through the caverns. Sasha, naturally, sprayed hers of water to better slide across the ground. Meanwhile, Mai scuttled along after her.
The collar’s light began to dim gradually. At first, it wasn’t too noticeable. However, the illumination eventually began to run out. After around fifteen minutes, Sasha was squinting to see (to the confusion of Mai).
“W-what are you doing? It's still a-as bright as it was before.”
Sasha looked at Mai and raised an eyebrow. “Did that whole dying thing mess up your brain? I can barely see!”
The two bickered for a while, before eventually settling down. They continued trekking onwards. Eventually, a light besides the one from the collar shone into the darkness. In the distance, Mai could see a murky view of beautiful flower buds and grass, along with the Pelipper Post Office near the cave’s entrance.
Sasha silently made eye contact with Mai. With a quick nod, they broke out running towards the exit.
THUD!!!
Mai silently made eye contact with Sasha. With a quick nod, they broke out running towards the Nickit they had unceremoniously dropped.
The duo lifted the Nickit yet again, and ran towards their escape slower to make sure they didn't drop the Pokémon again. Eventually, they burst through the blurry filter over the outside world, and finally reunited with fresh, normal air. Sasha collapsed on the ground panting, as Mai gently dropped the Nickit onto the grass.
They rested for a while, just sitting there like that. Together. The sun was just beginning to set over the distant horizons, staining the sky with a stunning orange. Sasha and Mai laid next to each other, taking in the lovely sensation of not having air curve and bend in their lungs.
“So this is what the world’s like? Huh,” muttered Sasha. “Arceus, this is beautiful. I see why ‘mons like it so much.”
The grass shuffled a little behind the duo, startling them out of their stupor. They glanced back in sync. The Nickit appeared to be waking up!
“Hath someone spoketh my name..?” The Nickit stirred, before at last properly setting themself up on all fours, still with their eyes closed. The Nickit forced them open, before they immediately widened.
“Why doth I haveth paws!?”