Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Pathways of Aspiration [COMPLETE] (2024)

For the first time Chimera could remember since the beginning of their exploration, the air had lost its chilling bite.

His eyes opened. After his grogginess cleared and his vision had regained some sense of clarity, the Bagon looked around. Miscellaneous crates of supplies still peppered the cramped insides of the glider, and a glance through one of the porthole windows confirmed they were still in the air. Where snow-lined mountains had been, however, vast canopies of tropical trees took their place. He breathed a sigh of relief. As excruciatingly muggy as Eastern mainland air was, it was a welcome respite in comparison to what they had come from. After today, the Bagon would be more than happy not seeing an inch of snow for the rest of his life.

"I still don't know how in Arceus's name you managed to sleep through that turbulence."

Chimera chuckled. After moving his head from the window it was leaned against, and hastily wiping away the usual stream of drool that had dribbled down his mouth, he turned to the Zorua opposite him. She was scrunched up in a pile, eyes bloodshot, and holding the familiar expression of someone who needed their damn coffee. Where before, however, Cerise had been facing him, she was turned to the front of the craft, facing nothing. Jogging his memory of waking up, the Bagon's head tilted. Had she been mumbling something to herself?

"It's the head and neck muscles, I suppose," Chimera replied. "Guess the body kinda sorts all that small stuff out when you're made to jump of cliffs. Doesn't mean it sucks any less not having anything soft to lean against. Though...looks like Eoin and Argon got that taken care of."

A knowing smile formed on the Bagon and Zorua as they glanced over to the back of the craft. Even with the Pallid having lost his orange facade, the Zorua had made smuggling both herself and him on board almost too easy. Light snoozing from both Charmander and Raichu filled their small confines. Wooden floor of the craft not the most desirable place to sleep, the two were sitting up, back to back. Heads were resting on the other's shoulder, while tails were angled out of the way, sitting on the other's lap.

"They've barely said a word since we boarded," Cerise replied. "Cute though, seeing them like this. Never thought I'd be sitting here jealous of a Pallid, of all things."

The Bagon gave a terse chuckle, careful not to wake them. True, he had seen some signs in the brief period he had seen them together, but nothing to this extent.

"Which Eoin do you think she's leaning against? For his sake, I hope it's not the civil one, dude was never too keen on flying. I'm...glad though, that she managed to start something. More progress than I ever made."

"You and me both," Cerise replied, similarly chuckling, "never had the time really, nor the motivation. Most 'mons usually don't take well to a Zorua that either spends her days studying a glorified rock or waiting in the brush to pickpocket someone for pocket change. Rightfully so."

Cerise let out a soft sigh, unbuckling her bag to take out the same notebook she had initially shown Chimera. The Bagon kept his glare neutral. For all their banter, they'd more than likely have differing opinions of each other if the thief had succeeded in their initial encounter. In spite of this, he knew the resigned laugh that left her mouth well.

"Doesn't have to be that way. You ever thought about joining the guild, joining the team? Might take some...convincing, from those two, but I'm sure we'd be able to work something out."

The Zorua took more than a few seconds pondering. Her eyes shifted, fluctuating between the Bagon before her, and something tucked into the recesses of her exploration bag. Buckling canvas from the craft filled in the silence, along with continued snoozing from the two pokemon at their side.

Cerise shook her head, digging her maw into the bag to reveal a particular object. It was a small, metallic hexagon, about the size of a fist and inscribed in a silvery, blue sheen. Intricate carvings and runes adorned the hexagon. Inscribed lines jutted in from each corner, converging to form a single point. A lone needle ran on a pivot from the center, like the analogue arrow of a compass or volt meter. She held it in her mouth carefully, setting it on the ground before them as if it was crafted out of fine porcelain. If her very soul had not rested on the relic being preserved, Chimera wouldn't know.

"Thanks, but...I got my own path to follow, sunken cost fallacy and all that. Besides, me and the guild haven't exactly seen eye to eye for a while. Dad had me study regulation enough back in the day to know that you'd be jeopardizing your future having a team member with a seven month track in prison."

Chimera's thoughts paused at the last of the Zorua's words. He instead looking toward the metallic hexagon before them. A certain sense of familiarity filled his conscouse. He'd seen this before, being presented with an unknown item of mysticism. Underneath Cerise's hollow smile, the Bagon could sense she too knew the scene.

"You won't get any judgement from me of the 'Dread Bandit Cerise', but if you don't mind me asking...how many times exactly have you been arrested? The last time you went in was a month, right?"

The Zorua shivered, breaking eye contact. Her paw then took hold of the relic, holding it close to her chest.

"Arceus, I think the number of stints I've taken is something like...thirteen? Give or take. A-And It really is a stupid name, isn't it? Some tauros-crap I thought of after my first pickpocket. A careless step here, an attempt at theatrics that ends with me tied up and behind bars there...it all adds up. You weren't the first 'mon I tried pulling a stunt like that with out of boredom, though you were the first one that ended up humoring me. I appreciate that."

"Feeling's mutual," Chimera replied, flashing her a grin. "I enjoy talking with Argon, but it does get pretty fricken' tedious doing the same thing everyday. Guess she makes more of it than I do."

"So, why do you do it?" he continued, tone neutral. "Can't imagine spending a month doing pushups and eating cardboard, preserved oran berries is helpful for whatever you're trying to do."

Looking into her eyes, the Bagon saw a slight shift in the way she returned his gaze. Her head drooped, paws aimlessly fiddling with the needle of the hexagon.

"When I started it off, after I...parted ways with Dad to find Celebi, was more about survival than anything. Could've gone to one of those nine to five factory jobs, but spending a couple hours in a mystery dungeon swiping change off of the teams that go by gives you a lot time. Following the mismash of clues left behind by the legendaries, I thought I needed it. Eventually though, It became...liberating in a sense, not having to care about prepping for where I'd be in a couple years, or what others thought of me."

"Eh, I can understand that, in a sense," Chimera replied, "spent a lot of time caught in the rattata race myself. Still am too, in a way, but at least now I got something to look forward to."

"You're more prepared than us. Talking with Cerise...I'm not sure either of us know what we're gonna do if we ever get Mom back."

Chimera jumped, as did Cerise. His eyes darted around the fuselage, eventually settling on Fennekin that had appeared seemingly out of mid-air. Her voice was the slightest bit different than the Zorua's, staring toward the Bagon in pensive silence. Chimera shot out of his seat. He scrambled for his weapon, only stopping when Cerise waved her paw between him and the aberration.

"How the hell did you—"

"D-Dammit, Sophia," the Zorua sputtered, "I told you not to show up in front of the Bagon!"

Cerise shirked back as soon as the words left her mouth. A glance from Chimera to Eoin and Argon confirmed their snoozing still filled the room, and a voice inside his head thanked Arceus for them both being heavy sleepers.

"I-I'm sorry, Cerise," the Fennekin replied. "I just thought we'd get introductions out of the way before they—"

"You couldn't have just waited until I told him?" she shot back. "How do you think this makes both of us look?"

"Hey, you're not the only one who hasn't had someone else to talk to in the past month! You and I both know you weren't going to tell him."

Chimera was lost. On instinct, the Bagon reached for a loose berry from one of the supply crates, throwing it at the Fennekin. Suspicions were neither confirmed nor denied as the berry went straight through her body.

"Cerise, is...is this an act? Like the Salamence and pallids way back?"

The foxes heads shot back to Chimera. They immediately looked away, staring toward the floor like it was the only thing on the craft that wasn't staring back.

"Well y-yes...and no," Cerise replied, "It's complicated. Let's just say the mind gets kind of messed up when your subconscious end up giving an actual body and voice to your childhood imaginary friend."

Sophia nodded. She stepped toward the Bagon, having realized the pecha berry on the floor was phasing through one of her legs.

"Yep. Been that way for a while, longer than either of us could have expected. We talk a lot. Not much else to do besides that, study notes, and improve your illusion abilities when you're locked up for a month. She took your victory due to her carelessness very personally. Good for me, at least. I can finally speak aloud now, instead of just in her mind."

"Yeah, it's great," Cerise replied, tone half laden in sarcasm, "but would you mind just...sitting back for a little while we sort this out? We can talk later, I'd rather not put this off any longer than I have to."

The Fennekin stepped aside, sitting herself on one of the seats opposite them both. Chimera could no doubt see the cheery smiles that had made its way to both of their faces, even if his own was stuck in deadpan contemplation. Silence enveloped all three as glances were exchanged. Cerise looked toward Chimera, metallic hexagon being pulled closer to her chest as she waited for the Bagon's inevitable judgement.

"I wouldn't blame you to say there's something a little messed up here," Cerise said, raising a paw next to her head in a twirling motion. A look toward Sophia confirmed that she was of similar disposition. The Bagon hadn't said a word. One second passed. Then another. Then another couple, until his scrutinizing stare was broken by a soft chuckle to forces unknown.

"Honestly, Cerise...I've seen weirder, it's a hell of a lot better than a volleyball. Looks like you and Eoin have more in common than you think."

The Zorua let out a deep sigh, chuckling more in relief than anything. Sophia did similar, having just realized she was holding in a breath. The Fennekin rose from her seat and walked toward Chimera. She extended a paw to shake, only for both to blink as it went straight through the Bagon's hand. She turned away, clearing her throat.

"S-Sorry, I just...it's nice getting to talk to someone different. Anyway, where were we?"

"The time gear," Cerise said, jumping up in realization, "Chimera, I realize I don't exactly have the best reputation, but would you mind if I were to take a look at it? I've been planning this for...Arceus knows how long."

Chimera nodded, gesturing towards the blue radiance seeping through Eoin's bag. Even so, the Bagon couldn't help but huff at the irony; in spite of it being his primary objective, a Zorua not even sent on their mission was getting more benefit out of their reward than he ever would.

"Yeah, sure. I'm not sure we'll be able to get it from them without waking them up, though. Seems pretty—"

It was done. In one swift motion, the Zorua had opened the bag held protectively in the sleeping Charmander's hand and hoisted it out like she had scored lucky on a crane game. Eoin and Argon's snoozing continued filling the room, having been undisturbed.

"Never mind."

"Always helps to have a certain set of skills," Sophia commented, "served us better in the past couple years than most of the academic stuff they taught us."

"I don't doubt it" Chimera asked, turning to the two foxes with a grin. "But tell me this then: how much poké would I have after four years with a principle of one hundred, an interest rate of four percent, and a period of four years compounded quarterly?"

Silence. Cerise shook her head, shrugging as Sophia cast her a curious glance.

"Don't look at me. If you don't know it, chances are I don't either."

"You see, that's the difference between us," Chimera said, "I've been through the rattata race, you've been lucky, or smart enough to avoid it."

"We tried," Sophia replied. "Learning that stuff, I mean, but it kinda went by the wayside once Cerise decide to continue Mother's research. All that long-term scholar stuff didn't really seem that important to her compared to—"

"The mission," Cerise finished, "I'm willing to bet you'll beat me in the long run Chimera, but as of now? I got family to save, future be damned."

The Zorua's frown dissipated as she began to analyze the time gear. Another reach into her bag, and she pulled out the notebook, frantically writing observations with a pencil clutched in her mouth.

"Blue aura, reflective quality in material, arrow carvings matching those of legends," she mumbled, smile growing with every second, "now...comes the interesting part. Chimera, have you ever heard of the Passage of Time?"

His eyes closed, hand raised to his chin. It had been so long.

"Can't say I...wait. Vaguely, yeah. What about it?"

"That's the key," she chirped, "the evidence has been a little spotty, but if the legends have any truth in them, then the purpose of time gears is to serve as conduits for the Passage of Time, making sure that the flow of time remains consistent across the world. At least, that's what Mom concluded. She had her doubts of course. There's pages upon pages of notes proposing different theories, could never find an explanation for why pallids existed either, but if she is…then I'll say the benefits of being right outweigh the cost of being wrong. After all, why would they build waypoints like these—"

She held out her paw, placing the hexagon with the center needle next to the time gear. Chimera's eyes widened; the object's size was a perfect fit for the center hole of the time gear.

"—without a compass? It's right. It's gotta be right. And once this works, once this points me to the Passage of Time, I'll be one step closer to finding Celibi and getting my family back. "

The Fennekin opened her mouth, as if to object, but no words came out. Chimera studied the object. As interesting as it was, a tinge of doubt lay in the Bagon's mind. Eoin had already told him everything he knew, and nothing of what the lake guardians had said told of a compass. And yet, seeing the Zorua's determination, he similarly found himself lost for words.

"Well then, what are we waiting for?" said Chimera. "Legendaries are a-waitin, don't want 'mons like us wasting their time."

Cerise beamed back his smile tenfold. As she picked up the hexagon, laying it just above the similarly sized cutout in the center of the gear, even Sophia drew closer to watch. Utter quiet filled the room. Argon and Eoin's snoozing seemed to have lulled down into nearly a whisper. Her paws trembled, sweat beginning to bead down from their pads onto the relic. Breaths quickened, a silent resolution passing between all that this was the moment.

"N-No we don't. Who knows? They might even be inclined to bring back that special one you told me about. Anyway...need to concentrate."

For a brief second, as Cerise's paws lay frozen before the two pieces, Chimera's thoughts wavered. Did he want the Togetic to return, even if splitting hairs told him she had never really come in the first place? Half of his mind said yes, but something wasn't right. From what the Zorua had insinuated, the Zoroark she had shown him was long gone. The human? She still had a long life ahead of her, one no doubt filled with as much enjoyment in that world as the Bagon had managed to find in his own.

He turned back. After another hour-long second, Cerise lowered the hexagon. It slotted into the cutout with an almost foreign neatness, as if it had been forever designed through the millennia for that specific object. Two relics connected, Bagon, Zorua, and Fennekin held their breath.

Nothing.

A whole lot of nothing. The needle remained in place, not moving an inch even after Cerise began to hastily turn the gear clockwise. A glance to the Zorua after minutes had passed found that she was, in a figurative sense, frozen. Mouth closed, eyes unwaveringly staring at the gear in disbelief, like a poker player being shown an opposing royal flush.

"Did...did you put it in sideways?" Chimera asked.

Her paws shot to the gear. Wordlessly, she took it out, twisting it so that the corners of the hexagon lined up differently with those of the gear. Nothing. She tapped the needle, fiddling with it like a pilot attempting to jump-start a propeller. Nothing. She grabbed the connected relics, banging it against the floor of the craft with a resounding clang. Nada. Cerise let go of the gear, staring forward with a omnipresent quiver.

"Cerise," Sophia whispered, "I'm sure that there are plenty of other explanations for this, but...do you think that Dad's theory might be—"

"Save it," replied the Zorua, holding up a paw. "P-Please. We've been through this."

"But what if he's right?" Sophia implored. "He's been studying this stuff for almost as long as Mom, what if—"

"I'm not willing to believe that. I- we've given up to much for it to be nothing. I just...missed something. A minor setback, nothing more."

Cerise turned to Chimera, expression that of a tipped over spoink.

"Please, your team was the one that got this thing in the first place, is there anything I missed? The compass...there had to have been some mention of it, wasn't there? And why these time gears even existed in the first place?"

"Yeah, Eoin told me everything he saw while we were coming down from the mountain. I'm not sure if he's hiding anything, but—"

The Bagon's conscious caught up to his mouth. It lay agape, both Zorua and Fennekin waiting anxiously for a reply. Was it worth saying? No matter what Chimera told the truth, it wouldn't be encouraging. Yet, in Cerise's eyes, it seemed the pokemon wouldn't be content with a comforting lie.

"No, I'm sorry to say, never heard anything about a compass. I've talked to Uxie, and from what Eoin told me about him and Azelf, they're a pretty direct source. Didn't hear about the Passage of Time either, sounded like the time gears got their power from the Pallids...weird as that may seem."

Sophia again cast a wary glance to Cerise, only to find that the Zorua was looking away, eyes closed and paw to her forehead as if stifling a headache.

"L-Like I said, it just needs more time."

"But if it doesn't match up with what we've researched, how can you be sure there even is a Passage of Time, or Celebi for that matter?" Sophia asked. "Please, Cerise, I'm not sure how many more sleepless nights we can take, or how many more pokemon you can pickpocket before this starts to catch up with us. M-Maybe it might be worth taking Dad up on that offer he made when he—"

"I know about the offer," she shot back, voice seething, "and no. If that two face had tried to help us with this, we could have gotten Mom back years ago. Just have some Arceus-damn faith, will you?"

She huffed, showing none of the previous observance as she grabbed the hexagon in her jaw and shoved it back into the bag. The Zorua then took hold of the time gear, placing it back in Eoin's own exploration pack. In averting her gaze from Sophia, Cerise suddenly realized the other occupant of the glider. Black fur on the back of her neck shot up.

"S-sh*t, I'm sorry for dragging you into this. I'm sure you three already got enough to worry about."

"Don't worry about it, Cerise. Do you wanna...sit down and talk about this?" he asked. "You seem like you're a bit conflicted with yourself, I can relate."

Before she could answer, Sophia bolted up to the Bagon. Her paw pointed forward, centered on Chimera's gold-level badge. Looking into the Fennekin's eyes, the Bagon swore he could almost see...tears? Could illusions cry?

"Please Mr. Bagon, I've kept my mouth shut until now, but since you're here now...we need a second opinion. When Cerise and I first set out, I was all for it, but the longer we went on, the more pokemon we hurt; I-I'm not even sure if it's worth it anymore. Even if we do somehow succeed, what if Mom doesn't approve of what we've done? What if...what if she thinks it would have been better for us to leave her at rest?"

The Fennekin dissipated for an instant as Cerise jumped towards her. She went in for the tackle, only to fall to the floor as her body went straight through. She cursed, breaths fuming and eyes laden with tears all too similar to Sophia's.

"If Mom was still around, then maybe I wouldn't have spent the better part of my life talking to a Fennekin who's not even real!"

She shut her eyes, tears soaking into her fur as she looked down in concentration. Sophia's own eyes shot open in terror, and a second later the Fennekin disappeared in a flash of light, this time for good.

Not a single soul left in their narrow confines moved an inch. From the Cerise's empty look toward the space where Sophia had been, the Zorua appeared like she had just killed a 'mon. Her legs gave way, and she collapsed to the floor, eyes motionless and bloodshot.

"S-Sophia, I...I didn't—I'm sorry."

Chimera stepped forward, just about to place his hand on the Zorua's back when the glider made contact with the ground. It fell down with a resounding bang, Bagon similarly tripping to the floor as groggy moans from Charmander and Raichu gave way to yelps. Just as before, the craft bounced back into the air for a brief second, before returning to earth with another resounding clang.

"Wh...what happened?" Argon asked, eyes shooting open towards Chimera and Cerise. "Did we miss anything important?"

Eoin made a similar gesture, before looking down to confirm that he had reapplied his scale's artificial, orange hue. A quick examination of his exploration bag confirmed that the time gear was still in place, seemingly untouched. Canvas buckled, and wheels skidded to a stop as Chimera locked eyes with Cerise. The Bagon didn't need to be an aura reader to know that the smile put on by Cerise toward the two was as much of an illusion as anything else she had created. A silent conversation took place in milliseconds between Bagon and Zorua, ending with a minuscule nod from the former, and a heavy breath from the latter.

"No," Chimera replied, "nothing too important. Looks like we're at the way station though. You two get enough sleep?"

Eoin nodded. He redonned the goggles, vision alternating between the paralyzed limbs of the Bagon, the punctured tail on himself, and most notably, the pale white legs of the Raichu.

"I believe so. Do as you wish, Chimera, but I would recommend we all get some proper medical attention as soon as possible. I would hate for any of us having to experience any...permanent injuries."

The Pallid got up to his feet. Another glance towards the Raichu's legs was all the motivation Eoin needed. In spite of the helpful nature of his outstretched hand, Argon couldn't help a shiver running up her spine. Was she really this much of a burden now?

"T-Thank you, Eoin, but I think It's been long enough that I can try sta—"

Just as the Raichu made to stand, what little control she still had over her legs gave way. Every pokemon in the room simultaneously jumped as Argon began falling toward the floor. Her arms scrambled for a balancing point, finding it in the Charmander's own reach. With a defeated sigh, she hung her arm over Eoin's shoulder, lifting her other paw up to hide her face.

"Dammit...still got a long way to go, I guess. Thanks again, really. Y-You've held your hand out in more ways than one, guess this'll be a learning experience for both of us."

"Only returning the favor," Eoin replied, returning the Raichu's smile. "If we both are as inexperienced as we say, then I look forward to teaching each other in the road ahead."

Chimera turned away, raising his own hand to conceal a giggle. When he had turned to Cerise, however, it lulled to an awkward pause. The Zorua was peeking out one of the side windows adjacent the door.

"sh*t."

"Cerise, you okay?" he asked. "You look like someone who just lost their keys."

Quick as a Greninja, she ducked away from the window. A brief flash of light enveloped the Zorua, in its place appearing a Riolu. It ambled over to the door, drawing confused glances from Raichu and Charmander alike.

"I-I should probably get going. My record's clean now, but you never can tell which pokemon around Eastern Faire have good memories. If anyone asks, my name is Aria, and I'm a Riolu living in the mountains that decided to shepard you three up, in exchange for transportation here. Sound reasonable?"

The Bagon's narrow-eyed look remained, but he nodded. The two walked up to the front of the craft, and the Riolu put her hand on the door handle, before glancing one last time toward Chimera. Eoin and Argon followed close behind.

"I guess this is it them," Cerise said. "Thanks for everything Chimera, I'm sorry you had to see...all that. I hope we'll meet again."

"So do I," he replied, flashing her a grin, "hope things work out better between you and Sophia. Sounds like she really does care, and I think you and I both know what that means."

The Riolu flickered, and Cerise reappeared. For the moment, she was silent, concentrating as if lost in thought to forces unknown. Chimera was just about to interject when she looked back up, smiling and giving the Bagon a terse nod. Another transformation back into the Riolu, and she began opening the door. Sunlight cracked into the door as it opened a smidge, until Chimera's hand fell over the Riolu's. It phased through the spike on the metallic pack of the illusion hand, touching black fur.

"And Cerise, one more thing."

She looked back. Chimera had leaned in close, glancing over his shoulder to confirm that Argon and Eoin couldn't see. His tone had lost its usual levity, expression similarly having morphed into a resolute scowl. Teeth, once shining in humor, gritted against each other, as if about to bite down at any second. Neither malicious nor vindictive, yet filling its intent of making her heartbeat rise.

For all their banter, what were they? Thief and explorer, only exchanging pleasantries from the former's failure. With his hand on her paw, something clicked in the Bagon's mind of what he was about to do. She would continue stealing, be it as it may for an ambitious cause. The Zorua had made that clear. And what if she was caught? He would be to blame, the Bagon that had let a known criminal escape without a word of deterrence. His eyes closed, brief images flashing over his conscious of the frozen lake, of the tiny slip of paper crumpled in the human's pocket. No, it would not happen again. Chimera's eyes were wide as he placed his other hand on Cerise's back, before retreating it to the side as it clenched into a fist.

"I want to help you," he whispered. "You've done me a good turn, and if we do ever meet again I'd be happy to return the favor. But if worse comes to worse, and we ever, ever get in another situation where our business contradicts...I'll have you behind bars myself. We each got a job to do, and fact of the matter is I don't think either of us are going to compromise on that. Nothing personal, just wanted to make that clear. Alright?"

The Riolu's face shot back, but after a moment's contemplation she nodded, smile having similarly been reduced. Chimera's hand lifted, and she opened the door, walking out with head lowered and pace brisk, but not too brisk. Just as the Riolu was about to leave his sight, she turned back.

"Best of luck, Chimera. I hope you find what you're looking for."

"And you too, Aria," he replied, amiable tone returning. "And don't think we can't keep the game going once that happens. Score's still one all, I think."

After one last glance over her shoulder, Cerise departed, leaving Bagon, Raichu, and Charmander to hobble out of the craft. Just over the horizon, above the distant layer of trees on all sides, the three could barely see the icy mountain of their origins, peek where they had encountered the lake guardians nearly concealed with clouds. The ground before them was a combination of dirt and gravel, stretching in a long and narrow line that formed an airfield, perhaps one of the few spots on Eastern Faire where the sky wasn't shielded by jungle canopy. Next to this airfield were rows upon rows of gliders, parked next to each other nearly as numerous as the plentiful amount of bird pokemon either resting from previous or preparing for future flights.

Almost instantaneously after the three had exited, a team of two consisting of Whimsicott and Gardevoir rushed toward them, with stretcher in hand. Silver guild badges adorned red and white bags laden with various medical accoutrements. At the sight of Eoin and Argon, the Gardevoir turned to her assistant, pointing towards the stretcher only for Argon to raise her paw.

"Please, I can walk...sort of, just need to get somewhere to sit down."

The Gardevoir nodded, pointing to a multi-story brick tower that rose just above the treeline. Pokemon stood on the top, either observing the various craft circling in the air, or shouting back orders to the pokemon below.

"Medical office is just under the observation tower. Some broken limbs and a punctured tail should be childsplay to treat. As for you, Argon...it's bad, but I've seen worse. Knew this one Grovyle—Gods rest his soul—whose team got caught in one of those dungeons. Poor fellow ended up losing his arm. Recovery won't be short, but if the gods are kind you'll be up and walking eventually."

An omnipresent sigh of relief left from all three. Chimera was just about to question how the Gardevoir already knew their names, but after a moment's thought he figured he'd be meeting with the explanation soon enough. After wooden crutches were distributed to the Bagon, adjusted to their shortest length to accompany his arm size, they reached the tower. Eoin was just about to open the door, when he saw that Chimera had turned away. The Whimsicott was positioned as if it had just whispered something into his ear.

"Are you coming?" he asked. "I'm sure you need treatment as much as the rest of us, and there is something I need to show you and Argon after that happens."

"Y-Yeah," Chimera replied, "I'll be with you guys soon, it's just...I made a promise, and apparently they want someone to debrief about this whole mess as soon as possible."

The Pallid's mouth opened to object, but after glancing to Argon and the blue radiance barely seeping out of his exploration bag, it shut.

"Fine," Eoin replied, "but make sure you are back here as soon as possible, I cannot stress the urgency of this enough."

The door opened, and Gardevoir and Whimsicott entered. Eoin and Argon were close behind, latter's arm still slung around the former, before stopping one last time. The Pallid noticed well enough the occasional glances the Whimsicott would give to his goggles and tail cover. Its arm raised to the Charmander, just about to comment on the strange accessory before it fell to the side. As the Pallid turned away, he breathed a deep sigh of relief; he'd just dodged a bullet. Bagon and Raichu looked toward each other, words not being needed to convey best wishes.

"Chimera, I...thank you, for saving my life. I-I know we've had our disagreements in the past, but I hope we'll be able to keep this up in the future."

"No problem," the Bagon replied, returning her a grin more genuine than boisterous, "that's what partners are for. I was only returning the favor, after all."

After Eoin and Argon had entered, the Bagon was alone. He got off his crutches, planting himself on a metal bench against the tower wall as he mulled over the Whimsicott's message. He had made an agreement after all, the question was, where was the other half of it?

He wouldn't have to wait long. A faint rumbling noise carried around the corner of the tower. It chugged along, like the engine of an old train as it approached. The Bagon's expression twisted into incredulity. It was familiar to something from his old life, some omnipresent mechanism he had been forced to get acquainted to on his commune to the daily grind, yet slightly different.

"What the hell? Is that a...car?"

It was. From around the tower corner, a shimmering, metallic green automobile ambled towards the Bagon, kicking up small plots of gravel in its wake. It was open top, with only a boxy pane of glass as a windshield. Narrow wheels more befitting of a bicycle accompanied its narrow and boxy appearance. If Chimera were in any other world, he would have called it something between vintage and outdated. The only difference he could perceive between the vehicle before him, and the especially early models of vehicles from his own world, was the driver's seat. Or, lack thereof. While ornate leather seating was present on the passenger side, the driver's side was completely empty. Standing on the floor, controlling the wheel would have been uncomfortable to most pokemon, in exception to the two, familiar faces that smiled toward the Bagon.

"Greetings, old chum. Wonderful weather for a drive, wouldn't you say?"

The Girafarig's horns were imbued with a pinkish aura, telekinetically directing the automobile's steering wheel so that it pulled in front of Chimera. The gesture did little to calm his incredulous stare.

"How...how did you—"

"Suits your fancy?" Binair replied, tapping the green door with his hoof. "I assure you, I am not solely compensating for something. I simply figured this would make for a better entrance than a carriage. A wondrous innovation, wouldn't you say? Finished overseeing the final assembly after you left. The first of its kind, in a way at least. Might take some time retooling the factories, but I can confidently say it will have a wondrous impact on Faire's populace."

Another glow of the Girafarig's horns, and the passenger door opened. Binair's cane levitated out, pointing toward the short seat at his side, size as though it was specifically crafted for Chimera.

"This...is about that mission we agreed upon, right?" he said, feet frozen in place. "We going somewhere?"

"Correct. There's a certain location I wanted to show you, but I figured we'd have the debrief on the way there. After I was informed of your team's condition, I knew it wouldn't be right for you to have to walk."

Chimera nodded, cringing with a glance toward the arm and leg still paralyzed in place. The more he looked towards Binair, however, the greater sense he got that something was...off. The Girafarig's usual assertive grin was there, but under it, was a sense of perturbation. A smile the slightest bit plastic. A posture the slightest bit awkward. His hoofs tapped on the floor like he hadn't had a wink of rest. After standing up from the bench, and taking hold of the crutches, Chimera ambled towards the vehicle, clambering himself in the passenger's seat.

"Care to drive, old chum?"

"Are you kidding?" Chimera replied, wiggling his one, good, pathetic stump of an arm. "The last time I had to drive, I was tall enough to not need a booster seat."

Binair was a surprisingly smart driver. He had little reason not to be, for as the minutes passed the Girafarig had barely said a word. His eyes remained locked on the bumpy, gravel rock road that cut its way through dense jungle canopy. They truly were in the mainland. As Chimera leaned his hand out of a car window for the first time in his new world, it grazed more than a couple of branches jutting out from side path trees.

Caravans nearly as long as trains passed them on the road. The first group of Mudsdale and Rapidash carriages were filled to the brim with produce of all kinds. Berries, root vegetables, and potatoes ever familiar to the stew the Bagon had eaten in his first meal with Eoin were stacked atop the clattering cart. The contents of the second caravan was more ambiguous. Soldier pokemon directed carriages supporting tall and wide boxes, covered with tarps. If Chimera listened closely, he could almost hear faint growls as they passed. A stiff bump of the vehicle knocked him back to attention; when they reached their destination, he was going to have to ask Binair if suspension had been invented yet.

"Chimera, would you oppose to me asking you a somewhat personal question?"

How often did a superior have the tact to ask for permission? Chimera shook his head, raising his head to the wind like a dog through a car door. Sure, a brisk twenty miles an hour wasn't exactly thrill seeking, but he'd take it over free fall any day of the week.

"Thank you. Now, I understand any conflicts of interest this question might entail, but may I have your assurances that you are honest?"

Chimera nodded. Binair looked him in the eye, giving occasional glances back to the road as his hoofs returned to tapping on the metallic floor. The question was on the tip of his tongue, and a glance at the frowning tail bobbing with the suspension confirmed it was similarly in doubt.

"In your travels, did you ever happen upon a Zorua...perhaps one who recently concealed herself as a Riolu? Boastful demeanor, fascination with legends and relics, ambition matched with a slight bit of overconfidence? You quite possibly might have seen her close by with a Fennekin."

The car swerved, saving itself at the last second from drifting into the forest canopy as Binair waited for Chimera's response. The Bagon fell back onto his seat, expression frozen. Two sides tore into his conscious at which pokemon was better worth betraying, but after a moment's thought the answer was obvious.

"Y-Yeah. Met her on a while back when she tried to steal one of our badges. Met her again on our way back down from the mountain. She...she helped us a fair bit, seemed to have her own trouble to deal with. Do you know her?"

"Of course I—"

Binair's tail fell to a frown, his own eyes similarly drooped. The automobile again continued to drift, but a flare of the Girafarig's horns put it back on course.

"Yes, we are—were, well acquainted. While waiting for your team's return, I saw her peeking through the aircraft windows...judging from her reaction, I assume she saw me as well. For most, her illusions are enough to fool the average pokemon, but when one such as I spends the better part of their years surrounded by someone even more envious of them than her, you start to notice the tonalities that give it away."

The Girafarig sighed. He lifted his hoof, smacking the button of a small, metallic container in between the driver and passengers side. After the cover sprang open, an especially thick wallet levitated into the air at his side. It was green canvas, ornately inscribed, and filled with enough coins to pay the Bagon's rent twenty times over. It levitated to him, opening itself at Binair's side opposite Chimera. In the Bagon's brief glimpse it its contents, he spotted a faint, black and white photo sewn onto the inside. On the left side of the picture was the same Girafarig, decidedly more youthful, and with a beaming smile nuzzled against another pokemon. From the way the wallet was placed, Chimera could only guess as to who the other figure was. What he did see however, was a sizable egg, positioned between the two. Momentary glances confirming the road ahead was empty, Binair stared at the photo.

Whatever change in tone the Bagon had seen looking toward his boss increased tenfold. As the road winded on, and the Girafarig's glances to the photo grew ever more present, Chimera swore he could see moisture beginning to form in his boss's eyes. Binair pulled his head away, blinking the beginnings of tears away as his horns began to glow. The vehicle pulled to the side of the road, and after the brake pedal surrounded itself in a psychic aura, they were motionless.

"Sir, something wrong?" the Bagon asked.

"It's a chimera, you know."

The wallet closed, shoving itself inside the storage container that similarly shut.

"I...don't follow."

"The plan," Binair replied, "of cheating time and returning her mother. I wish to gods human and pokemon alike for her sake that it wasn't, but I've had it confirmed on good authority. The compass...it is more of a meter than anything, a simple tool the gods used when crafting the time gears, before discarding it. Once I had it confirmed however, I had lost too much reputation in her eyes for my words to have value."

Chimera bit his lip, fiddling to unbuckle the seatbelt as he turned toward Binair. The notes, maps, the hexagonal compass, he couldn't deny their aura of mysticism, and yet any attempt to raise an objection on her behalf found the air sucked out of his mouth.

"Well, what did you do?" he asked. "To piss her off so much? If you don't mind me asking. She sounded pretty dedicated when I talked to her, but I don't see why she'd completely disregard your judgement. Hell, you haven't been wrong so far, at least with the time gears."

Carriages rumbled past as the Girafarig seemed unwilling to avert his gaze from the road ahead. His hoof moved, gesturing tentatively to the metallic gear shift. Chimera reached over, and as the vehicle was put in park, Binair's head had turned, both sets of eyes staring absently to the plethora of incoming traffic.

"It's...not an easy task, building up a world, nor one that leaves much room for other considerations. We had our disagreements, and if I'm being perfectly honest, if I had been there for her more in her early youth, this whole mess could have been avoided."

"Well, there's still time," Chimera replied. "You saw her, didn't you? I'm sure she just needs someone to talk to; seems like she's only had herself for a while. That, and someone to say that sneaking around in mystery dungeons looking for pickpockets isn't the best long-term strategy. "

Chimera's head tilted, before retreating to a passive stare. A lowly thief, born of the richest 'mon in the region? Granted, Chimera would sooner jump off another cliff than know what it was like raising a child, and it wasn't like he was in a position to object.

The Girafarig stared at him, perhaps a second too long. His eyes shifted, glancing between the Bagon before him, the photo hidden under the storage compartment, and the frequent supply carriages rattling past. He was only a lowly employee, wasn't he? Granted, one that had been given more opportunity than in any other world, and yet something in Binair's look was different. His hoof raised, placing it on the Bagon's shoulder.

"I...I plan to, but before I do, there is some business that needs to be taken care of. There's a plan, old chum, there's a plan. We need only show conviction, and not hesitate in the path ahead."

His hoofs glowed, gear shift and pedal surrounded in tandem by light as the vehicle continued chugging along. The minutes passed, the twisting turns of the dense, jungle road continued. Just over the forest canopy in the distance, Chimera spotted a grandiose, red shingled roof. Even with only vague outlines of the ornate windows and marble pillars, the Bagon could tell it was the near equal of the guild hall.

"She was going to be an actor, you know."

Chimera jolted upward, another bump on the road punctuating the statement. He glanced over to meet the Girafarig's eyes, but found them centered on the road, seemingly lost within a dead-eyed stare.

"I figured," Chimera replied, "she's got a talent for thievin', though. Probably would have gotten away with my badge if those two things didn't contradict with each other."

The Girafarig let out a terse snort, holding it for a half second before it fell into a sigh.

"I had it all planned out. She was to have the best training, the best education. Throughout all of it, however, I failed to realize how much my absence was driving her away. And now...I let her future slip between her paws."

"I don't think she blames you about that, Sir," the Bagon added. "For what it's worth. Hell, I'm willing to say she feels just as bad about the whole thing as you do. At least part of her does."

Binair's two heads lulled, latter half taking a slight nibble out of the passenger side's leather seating. The sound of gravel against tires was interrupted as the Girafarig's hooves stomped to the metal floor.

"A thief," he said, spitting the words with no shortage of vile. "I appreciate your understanding, old chum, but it doesn't change the fact that's what I turned her into. One that I have no doubt I'll meet again through jailhouse windows in the upcoming weeks. I-I've been to her performances, funded the construction of the penitentiary theatre myself, as well as the one way glass I can observe from, for her sake. Little Zorua plays the best partner in 'Heroes of Time' you can imagine. I-I...I'm proud of her for that, for what it is worth."

Chimera was just about to chuckle that he had his doubts at the claim, but the Bagon stayed his tongue. His hands jittered, incredulous scowl forming his face at the prospect of hearing such a foreign tone from someone in authority. The Girafarig's confession was nearly a whisper, without a hint of bravado to speak of. The automobile approached one last corner, nearly coming within eyesight of the chateau so buried within the island's mainland.

"Sir, knowing this, I apologize for not bringing her to you," Chimera said, cringing as his eyes met his own gold badge, "or letting a thief go for that matter."

"Don't be, old chum" came the instantaneous reply. "It is...for the better, all things considered. When the time is right, I shall try my best at being the pokemon she deserved. If the gods are kind, I can push aside my hubris enough for it to let me."

Chimera reached down, unlatching the protective box and reaching for the wallet haphazardly shoved inside. Binair flinched, but after a moment's pause from the Bagon, gestured in approval. Chimera held the wallet up between the two of them, giving the Girafarig as much of a look of reassurance as he could.

"I have no doubt. Hell, you're a heck of a lot better boss than I ever experienced. Just give it time. Besides, I think you have a pretty good reason why she'd be willing to give you a second chance."

"Any why is that?" Binair asked, flinching again as Chimera laid his hand on the wallet.

Chimera smiled, giving him a toothy grin as he glanced over to the driver's side, looking Binair straight in the eye. He opened the wallet, unable to see it himself, but wide enough that it was in full view of the Girafarig. A second passed, then another, then another still, before exchanged glances removed any doubt. Binair let out a defeated sigh. The Bagon knew, and it wasn't like he had been subtle.

"Well...you're her pops, aren't you?"

Chimera glanced back, suspicions being confirmed as brown eyes stared toward the picture. Standing next to Binair in black and white, with its arms cradled around his neck and eyes staring lovingly towards the egg between them, was a Zoroark.