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Chapter 60
Route 560
On the way out of Harvesting, the treasure was the last thing on Char's mind.
He certainly didn't want to nag about it, even though the notion of putting three million gold into the team's account was too interesting to ignore. Team Ember could buy half the merchandise in Kecleon's shop for that amount, or better yet, maybe learn how to barter and bribe their way to victories like the advanced teams often did. Perhaps they could even think about buying some property outside of the Gold Division; a secret base out in the countryside away from the jurisdiction of Alakazam didn't seem like such a bad idea.
But as promising as it sounded, Char didn't want the money to come at the expense of his teammate's trust. He couldn't imagine what had happened in the den, and didn't want to say anything that would make things worse. Once the team was back on course for Purevine, Char decided he only had one question to ask of him:
"Do you need a rest?"
It was a question which needed to be asked; Team Ember still had an apple to deliver, and perhaps even a battle to fight. Char needed to know as soon as possible if Ray would be too discouraged to function as part of the team, and whether he would need to take precautions to ensure the victory of the mission without his help.
The Raichu kept his eyes focused on the contents of the note, as though wanting to ignore the question entirely. "I, uh..." he mumbled, crumpling sides of the paper in his claws. "Ahh… it's nothing, Char… I'll be okay. Just thinking about how we're going to get this treasure, is all. This would be amazing. I guess I just… I can't believe my brother thought that highly of me, to leave me his money like this. I can't believe he had so much faith in me."
"Ah, well, we'll just have to make a good plan," Char said kindly, knowing Ray was probably lying but letting it slide. "I think we can make that our next priority after this mission's done. I promise if we get in and out of this alive, we'll do everything in our power to help you find it."
Ray wore a sort of crooked smile as he continued to stare at the paper, hoping Char wouldn't see.
"It says that in order to get the treasure, we need a teleport compass," Ray explained, reading from the note and trying to distract himself. "I actually have no idea what that is. What's a teleport compass?"
"I do not know either," Otto replied, landing upon Saura's back. "We should ask that of a teleportation user. But I assume it is an object that helps teleportation users warp to their destination."
"Alright, we can do that," Char said calmly. "But there's a problem. Who knows how to teleport? All I can think of is Alakazam—"
"No! We can't ask him," Ray said quickly, cutting Char off. "This is like black market money… we can't let anyone know about it, especially him. We'd have to find someone else we can trust."
Char blinked. "B-but, we are the black market, aren't we?" he said, a bit confused. "That's what the resistance is – Alright, alright. Fine. But I'm saying, who do we know that can teleport? I can't think of anyone."
"Teleporters are mostly psychics, although few others are capable," Otto said. "But you are correct; there are not many Pokémon capable of the skill, and among them, not many who are skilled at accurately teleporting over significant distance."
"We'll find someone, I'm sure," Char said again. "After this is over, we can make it our next priority. Just make sure you keep those scrolls safe."
"Actually, about that…" Ray said, rolling the scroll.
Ray fell in line behind Char for a moment. Char assumed he was packing Rautzen's scrolls into the bag, until he felt a tickle on the end of his tail. Jumping back in surprise, Char found that Ray had lit the end of the scroll on fire with Char's flame.
"Waah! Why are you doing that?!" Saura cried. "Don't we need those?"
"Nah, I memorized the instructions," Ray said, lighting the second scroll aflame with the first. "We can't let anyone else see them. Especially Adiel, or… Cepheus. So it's better if I just remember it. It said that the teleport compass we need is in safe holding in Iron Town. It said I have to tell them I'm Rautzen's brother and answer some personal questions, then they'll give it to me. After that, I need to 'stand on the stone where I stood on his shoulders.' That's easy, I know where that is. It's a big rock in Ion Plains I was just at earlier today. And then, we use the compass and we'll teleport to a city that's not on the map, and we'll find a treasure hunter who lives there. He'll give us Rautzen's treasures."
"Ugh, that's a lot of steps," Saura groaned. "Why couldn't he have just put it in the bank at the Gold Division base? That's got to be one of the most secure banks on the whole continent."
Ray hesitated before answering. He swallowed hard and looked at the ground.
"Because he couldn't go back into the base," Ray said solemnly, trying his hardest to keep the sadness from showing. "When he was leaving his treasure for me, he had to stay away from Team Remorse and High Intelligence. He had to hide it somewhere they couldn't find."
"W-why?" Saura wondered in surprise. "Why did he have to stay away from his own team?"
Ray didn't respond right away, again pretending not to hear the question. Instead, he seemed focused on the burning scrolls he still clutched. Once the flames had seeped close enough to his paws, he dropped them onto the road and crushed the ashes apart with his foot.
"Ah, don't worry about it," Char said quickly. "You don't have to talk about it if—"
"No, no… No, I should tell you," Ray said with a defeated sigh, giving the ashes one last kick. "We're not supposed to keep secrets, so I'll just tell you."
This time, it was Char's turn to wear a false smile, remembering that he still hadn't told his teammates his deepest secret yet about the Call. He almost cut Ray's words short out of a pure sense of shame and dishonor, knowing he didn't truly deserve to hear his friends' personal secrets anymore if he could not tell his own. But in the end, he decided it would be better for Ray to clear his mind of the burden, and he let him continue.
"Remember when Marrow was talking about that base next to Great Crystal City that Cepheus destroyed?" Ray said meekly, the excited spark in his voice long-gone. "Remember how he said that they still don't know how Cepheus found out about it? Well… Rautzen knew how. Because…"
Ray fell silent, holding his tongue for one last moment.
"Because Rautzen was the traitor," Otto said for him.
Even Char was surprised at the conclusion. He stopped walking and glanced back at the Raichu, who stood still and stared at the ground looking very hurt.
"Hey! You could have let me say it myself, you know," Ray growled, glancing away from his team and scowling at the confused bird. "How did you know, anyway…?"
"I was able to see the contents of the second scroll before you burned it," Otto replied, landing on the ground. "I could see the script from the air."
Ray looked like he was about to yell at the Pidgey, but closed his mouth.
"Yeah, well, you didn't have to just say it like that!" Ray grumbled, slumping onto the road.
Carefully, Char approached his discouraged friend, not wanting to draw too close. He gave up trying to search for words to encourage his friend, as there were none he had any right to offer. Instead, he offered only the momentary silence of his company. And the three of them stood quietly, waiting patiently for the Raichu to say something.
"So, yeah… that's how it happened," Ray sighed, not looking his friends in the eye. "Now you know. It was all my brother's fault Cepheus destroyed the base. And that's why he's not around anymore. I guess I have my answers now. I don't know what to feel about this."
"Ray…" Char said carefully and gently. "Whatever your brother did, it doesn't make us think any less of you."
"Yeah, we can keep this between just us, you know?" Saura offered. "No one else has to know about this."
But Ray didn't seem to listen; though he turned his head away quickly, Char spotted the tear that was forming in the corner of his eye. He knew Ray was trying to hide it. He knew Ray had forced himself to stop crying when he heard the voices of his friends in the den, and thought he could keep hiding it just like he always did. But it wasn't possible anymore; the energetic Raichu was, at last, out of strength.
"Usually it's so easy, you know?" Ray said, with a voice Char had never heard coming from him before. "When you know what you're supposed to feel. If you know you need to feel happy or sad or afraid or whatever. It's so easy. Because… because if you can pretend to feel something, you can feel it for real sometimes. As long as you know what you're supposed to feel. But now, I… think about everything Rautzen told me and everything he did, and I feel all blank. I know I'm crying right now but I really feel blank! I haven't felt like this for a long time and I'm scared… I can't feel anything."
Ray wiped the tear out of his eye and glanced at his companions over his shoulder.
Char took a deep breath and approached Ray closely, touching him on the shoulder.
"Ray… I know exactly how you feel," Char said with genuine pity. "I'm serious. I really do. We Charmanders do this thing called 'smoldering' that happens sometimes if it gets too cold. My fire is the same as my feelings. So sometimes it gets so cold that the fire looks like it disappears on the outside, and the feelings go away with it. And I feel just blank and I really don't feel anything at all. That's what's happening to you right now. You're smoldering."
Ray sighed, not acknowledging much of Char's words. "Yeah, I think I see now why Team Stripes had the rules they have," he said. "If you want to join Team Stripes you need to have a personal reason to fight in the resistance when you join. I think I understand why they have that rule now."
"What was your reason to fight?" Saura said, approaching Ray from the other side.
"That I lost my brother," Ray said plainly. "And that I… wanted to be like him. Everything he ever told me about Team Remorse and the work he did, I went my whole life thinking he was the greatest Raichu in the world and I wanted to be him. I wanted to be the one to replace him. I wasn't sad he was gone because… because I thought that if I could replace him and do everything that he did, it wouldn't matter that he's gone anymore. And I was really happy… I was so happy every time I would get closer to being on Team Remorse, or just being a good teammate for you guys. I knew I was being closer to the kind of Pokémon Rautzen was. I was happy because I knew that's the only thing in the world I wanted to do. Daemon said something to me once: 'We need strong leaders. But more than that, we need strong followers.' And he was completely right. I'm not leader material. I'm a follower. And I can be a really good follower. And I'm really proud of that. But now…"
Ray shrugged, looking at the ground again.
"Maybe I don't want to be like Rautzen anymore," Ray admitted. "I'm thinking about everything he said in the note, and… He did too many things I wouldn't have ever wanted to do. I can't look up to him anymore. I don't even think I like him anymore."
Char was surprised at the hint of bitterness Ray betrayed in his words.
"But… you know what? That doesn't matter right now," Ray sighed, smiling sadly and rising to his feet. "I have no right to be a crybaby when there's someone here who's exactly like me. Saura, you had an older brother you really looked up to and you wanted to be just like him. And you know what it's like to lose your family and go without knowing whether they're still alive or dead. And it wasn't even so bad for me! You had a curse in your head that caused you pain every time you thought about it. At least I could block it out when I had to. You couldn't even do that."
Touched by the thought, Saura bashfully glanced away and stared in the direction of his home. Ray reached out and gingerly touched his forehead, and soon their gazes met again.
"Hey, I know I won't get to see my brother ever again, and I don't know who my mother and father even are," Ray said. "And right now I have a lot of things I need to think about now. But I'll save it for later. Right now I think I still have a personal reason to fight. I'm going to make sure you can have the chance to see them again that I never had."
"Aww, Ray, I…" Saura hesitantly said, his voice cracking. "I don't know, I… I admit I'm still really scared of actually seeing them again. Part of me keeps wishing we'll never arrive, because I'm afraid it won't go very well. If father still hates me, I think… it's going to hurt just as bad as if I had to finish watching that stupid vision Eva was going to show me. But thank you. This is something I need to do."
"Don't be afraid," Char said. "We're not going to let anything happen to you. It doesn't matter what goes wrong. If this is a trap, we'll fight. We'll get you out of there without a scratch."
"Yeah, and even if they don't want you as a part of their family anymore, well, you know you still have one, right?" Ray added. "Not just us. The whole Gold Division is our family now. And they're a really good family."
"I know, I know," Saura said, sighing and fidgeting uncomfortably. "Alright, let's just get this over with, I guess. You're right. I just need to know the answer. Not knowing the answer is going to hurt more than whatever could go wrong."
Char noticed the Bulbasaur wincing as he fought away the headache again, and knew just what his friend was talking about. The alternative was to keep facing his headache, every day, or to let Eva back into his mind to replay that terrible hallucination until the very end. This was the only way out that had any chance of a happy ending.
"We are wasting time," Otto squawked, snapping Char back to the moment. "We have approximately eight hours until the Watchers rise. Regardless of your emotional state, this mission will not end in success if we do not keep walking."
"Ah, you're right," Char said, jumping back to his feet. "We've got ground to cover, guys. Let's get moving."
Through the early afternoon, Team Ember made excellent progress down the road to the south, although the mood had turned somber among the teammates and their conversations became limited to awkward smalltalk about the weather and the occasional mention of Rautzen's treasure. Char felt afraid of bringing back topics which would hurt, and he knew the others felt the same. But the words they shared were not important to him; their company was what he valued the most, and what gave him the strength he would need to see the dark mission to the end.
At least, that's what he was thinking about until Ray quietly approached his side and spoke under his breath.
"I'll be fine," Ray said quietly. "So don't worry about me. But there's something that's been nagging at me ever since I saw that note."
"Yeah?" Char replied, matching his hushed tone. "What is it?"
"Well, I spent all my life trying to find the answer I found today," Ray said, "And now that I have the answer, I think… maybe I would have been better off not knowing. I mean… I was thinking back to when I joined Team Stripes. I was so happy and motivated all the time. And now that I have closure, it was like all of that got taken away. I have no answer to find anymore. So I wonder if it would have been better just not to know. Maybe I could have spent my life looking for the answer and never finding it, and that would have been better. That… sounds ridiculous, doesn't it?"
Char knew there was truth to the idea. He imagined what it would be like if he did not constantly yearn to know his own true name and his purpose in Ambera; without such a burning goal, he would not push himself forward every day to keep fighting. He knew he would be happy as a Charmander and leave well enough alone with all of the world's problems. For all purposes, he would be useless.
Ray has a point, Char knew. Closure is a double-edged blade. If you have it, there's no motivation, no aspiration. There is only complacency, and acceptance. It's like how there's no point in a story if all the questions are answered. Once justice has been served and questions have been answered, the fire dies, the last ember fades, and the heart is at peace. And a heart at peace hardly has a place in a war.
"Actually, no," Char replied as he trailed off into his own thoughts. "I don't think that sounds ridiculous at all."
"Well, yeah, but here's the problem," Ray said, lowering his voice further. "I'm worried about Saura. This whole thing… Maybe it'll go well. But what if it doesn't? He's the youngest of us… I mean, even you're older than you look because you were a human once and you got your new body. Saura's the only one here who's actually still just a child. And I know how this has been eating at him for months. Ever since he was touched by that Watcher. Actually, he said that it's been on his mind since he met you apparently. I'm getting the impression that Saura's personal reason to fight was to impress his father. To make up for the fact that he ran away."
Char paused for a moment, beginning to feel very uncomfortable.
"You might be right," Char said quietly, eyeing the Bulbasaur several steps ahead of him on the road. "To be honest, I wondered about it myself sometimes. Saura… he seems so dedicated to me and this team, and everything. But… you know, he doesn't usually talk about himself. He always just talks about me, and my problems, and my feelings, and it's always about me. He always cared so much about helping me and I never really did the same for him in return. I guess I've just been selfish. But then when the Watcher touched him… he changed. He started showing a side of himself that I guess he'd been hiding from me all along, and that's something I can't help him with. He really loves his family and he misses them. And it hurts him to think that they might be broken because of him. Maybe you're right. Maybe he's fighting in memory of them. Maybe the whole reason he's here with us… is for them."
"Yeah, that's the same thing I thought," Ray replied. "Now he's about to get his closure. Do you think Saura will know what to do when he gets the answer he's been looking for?"
Char watched the Bulbasaur who followed the Pidgey's lead several dozen steps ahead of him, oblivious to the conversation he shared with Ray. He couldn't ignore the feeling of rocks forming in the pit of his fire, knowing they were about to start causing him more pain than he wanted to think about. He didn't want to think about the implications, but he knew Ray was right. Maybe closure was going to be painful.
And maybe it would be more painful for him than it would be for Saura.
"I don't know," Char said heavily, understanding how high the odds were that something wouldn't go according to plan. "I guess we just have to see what happens, and… whatever happens, help him through it however we can."
Purevine Plains
After hours of more walking, afternoon faded to early evening. From the air, Otto had located a landmark they had searched for: a small, unnamed creek which might have been disregarded as a ditch if it weren't for the Pidgey's keen eye. Though it appeared only as a trickle of water running through a crack in the ground, the Map of Jirachi told them it would be fed by several more underground springs until it would become the deep, serene river which ran through Purevine Village. Together, the team left the lonely road behind them, walking upon the creek's bank which would lead them to their destination.
Saura grew visibly nervous. His pace slowed, as though he revered every step he took, and his attention jumped to every little uninteresting thing in the landscape. He spoke tersely whenever he had something to say.
"I don't recognize this place, but smells like home," he said with a shudder. "The pollen from the leaves in the fall, it smells different wherever you are because there are different kinds of trees…"
Ray held the map open, careful not to trip on the broken ground and fall into the creek bed. "Yeah, looks like we're really almost there," he reported. "Might be there in about an hour if we run. We don't have to run, though."
"Ahh, this is really happening, isn't it?" Saura said, pausing to stare into the stream. "Ahh… Ray, can I see the map?"
"Uh, yeah," Ray said, pinning the rolled sides onto the grass with his paws as Saura approached. "We're here, just north of Purevine Village along the creek. See it?"
"…Yeah," the Bulbasaur said. "I see it. Ah… yeah, we're really close…"
With a paw, he pointed to a nearby location on the map.
"Here, that's the place I grew up, I think," Saura said awkwardly. "Tiny Plains, that little area surrounded by the forest where the trees didn't grow. That's where our family's den is. And here's Shamble Forest. That's where I ran away from them… And there's Gravelerock Tunnel. It's not too far away, actually… Ahh…"
"The Shamble Forest is plainly visible from the sky," Otto noted, landing a large rock in the creek. "From the ground, your view is blocked by hills. As for Purevine Village, you will see it very soon on the horizon. We are nearly there."
Saura jumped away from the map and stood on the edge of the riverbank. He stared into the crystalline water as it gently flowed past, and took breath after deep breath.
"Alright, alright. I'm ready for this. I'm ready," he said to himself, closing his eyes. "But I already feel so… tired."
"THERE YOU ARE."
A raspy, disembodied voice came from nowhere, giving Saura such a start that he reeled for a few moments just to keep from falling into the water. Char jumped and frantically searched for the threat, though a corner of his mind recognized the voice.
"Hey, hey…" the voice said quietly, its whispers barely audible over the trickle of the stream. "Don't worry, I'm just a friendly invisible Weavile. I won't bite. Just pretend you don't hear me. Keep walking."
"Alastair," Char remembered, awkwardly trying to pinpoint the source of the voice so he would know what direction to speak. "You almost gave us a heart attack. What's the matter?"
"To be blunt, nothing's the matter," he replied calmly. "Except that this is my last invisible seed and it's going to run out in an hour from now. But just comin' to let you know that everything's on course. I'll go let the big boys know it's time to get into position. You're free to proceed to the village anytime you want."
"…Hey, sorry we were so late," Ray said, quickly packing the map back into the bag. "Hope nobody's angry at us."
"Oh? Nonsense, you're not late. You're actually right on time," the invisible Weavile replied, his voice ominously circling around Char. "We figured you'd take your time. Planned for it. That's why we sent you out alone. Made for a more… natural performance. But you'll need to head right in or we might not have enough daylight left to get you home. No more distractions now, got it?"
"So… wait, nothing's wrong?" Saura asked one more time. "No ambush?"
"I checked everywhere I could, except some of the houses were locked. Nothing seemed off," Alastair replied. "Surrounding area's fine. There's nowhere to really hide. All points suggest you're good to go."
"…And my father? Is he still there?" Saura begged suddenly.
"Your father?" Alastair replied.
"…The Venusaur," Saura said nervously. "They said there was a Venusaur there already."
"There's one, but how'm I supposed to know he's your father?" Alastair replied.
Saura bit his lip. "Uh… his real name is Grayleaf," he told the invisible Pokémon sheepishly, almost ashamed of saying the word. "Do you know if that's him?"
Alastair didn't reply for a moment, causing Saura to grit his teeth with intense anticipation.
"Ah, yeah, now that you mention it, I do think I heard him talking with someone," Alastair said. "Yeah, they called him Grayleaf. And there's an Ivysaur too. His name's Saurvor."
Saura closed his eyes, breathing a deep sigh.
"Hey, wouldn't it be funny if Adiel didn't even show?" Alastair added, trying to lighten the mood. "The stage is all set, you're free for the taking, and as far as we know he's not even here. And we've got birds in the skies all around you, they'll be the first to know if anyone tries to move in. So we've got you covered. The rest is up to you."
The Weavile left them shortly, saying that he had to make it back to Marrow before his invisible seed would lose effect, and Team Ember found themselves alone and staring down the final stretch of the journey.
Char smiled sadly at his distraught Bulbasaur friend, knowing that the moment of truth was nearing. There was no more hiding, no more stalling. Whatever was going to happen in Purevine Village would come to pass before they would know it.
"Alright, I can do this," Saura said with heavy breaths. "I can do this. I'm almost there. I can do this."
"Yeah… and just remember, you're not alone," Char quietly told him, kneeling by his side and hugging him around the neck. "We're all here, too. Whatever happens to you is going to happen to all of us. Nothing's going to change that. I won't let anything happen to you."
"Thank you," Saura whispered, cracking a smile. "I'm as ready as I'll ever be, I guess…"
Purevine Village
The long journey of Team Ember would end at a place that didn't look so different than the surrounding wilderness. At first glance, Purevine Village existed only as a collection of odd structures standing upon the bank of the stream as it wound its way into the distance. The houses themselves were scarce, built from a lumpy kind of putty which looked like clay mixed with pebbles. There were no roads to be seen; the stream itself was presumably the village's main street, its shores shallow and trodden, devoid of any grass.
Char wasn't exactly sure where the village began, or what could be considered its boundaries; he only knew that the air felt different. The river and everything around it felt clean and serene, as though many Pokémon had crafted every detail of the landscape with heart and purpose over the course of many years. The water moved by like liquid glass, the trickle of its current barely rivaling the sound of the breeze. The dirt underfoot was soft yet firm and didn't track anywhere, and the reeds and cattails which sprouted from the shallow water were well-kempt, as though they were grown deliberately for decoration. The buildings, though strange in color and texture as they were, looked very sturdy and well-designed. Char knew at once that this small expanse of land was home to Pokémon who cared deeply about it, and he felt a great sense of respect for their work, almost feeling guilty for trespassing upon their property.
At one point, a Wooper jumped out from a hole in the ground and screamed at Char and his friends for walking through its garden. Char panicked and froze in place, not being able to see the difference in the plain brown soil, but Saura spotted a series of tiny mushrooms all lined neatly in a row, and he guided Char safely past them. After offering the creature some words of apology, Char inquired about how to find the rest of the village, and the Wooper instructed them to just keep following the stream.
"This is a nice place, actually," Char said as he crossed a wooden bridge to the other bank, where there stood a larger cluster of buildings. He touched his claw against the rungs of the guardrail in appreciation of its architecture. "It's like we're walking through a painting," he mused. "It's so… natural. It's like the villagers wanted to live here, but they didn't want to ruin the natural scenery that was already here. Humans don't build this way… they change the way the world looks when they build, and they make huge things like the buildings in Iron Town. I'm always surprised to see all the ways that Pokémon try to build things like humans, and they build a lot of weird stuff that I've never seen before. But this place is how I always imagined Pokémon should live."
"Heh, yeah, it's alright I guess," Saura said with a nervous laugh, "but my home looked twice as good as this. Ah, we kept that place so clean… dad would cut down the tall grass, and we'd grow berry bushes by the river and we'd keep the gardens all neat and tidy even in the colder months. And we made sure all the trees and bushes all grew just where we wanted. Dad always told us that the whole meadow was our home, not just our den. So we always did our chores and make the whole meadow look nice for any guests. If this place looks like a painting to you, Char, you should see my meadow sometime. But… ah, it's probably all in disarray now, if the family's been away from home for so long…"
"Don't worry about it! I bet your family could fix it all up in a few weeks!" Ray offered quickly. "Nobody's a better gardener or a landscaper than a Venusaur. That's what you're made for. Only a Shaymin could beat you!"
"Ah… not me, though," Saura replied sadly. "I didn't learn much from mom and dad about gardening. After that time I got caught in the mystery dungeon, I stopped caring about that stuff. Guess I was more interested in learning how to fight and defend myself, because I was always afraid it would happen again. Though… I guess that's one of the reasons I got on dad's bad side. I did kind of slack on my chores, and sometimes I didn't come back home on time because I liked exploring Shamble Forest too much… Now that I think about it, maybe I really was a brat… And then I had to go and run away for good! Maybe dad was right about me all along…"
"Saura, stop," Char said sternly, watching his friend wince in pain. "Don't beat yourself up. You're just going to make things worse."
"Ah, yeah, sorry," he said, shaking the pain away. "You're right. It's just hard… I'm so nervous."
"Well, on the bright side, no Adiel anywhere… yet," Char noted, glancing downstream. "He could have ambushed us by now if he wanted to. Guess we might just be safe… maybe."
The bridge didn't emit the slightest creak as Char and his friends descended the arc and stepped onto the other side of the riverbank. The reverse side of the stream was somehow even more picturesque, striking Char with the image of a perfectly-trimmed line of ambergrass adorning a field of tilled soil. Various kinds and colors of rocks had been sunken into the ground, and they were all evenly carved so that their surfaces were flat with the dirt, not a trace blemish upon any of them. On the opposite end, the riverbank was as cleanly-cut as could be, lined with polished boulders and flat slabs of granite as places to perch for Pokémon to go fishing or just to admire the water. The ground looked as though it couldn't decide whether it wanted to be a cobblestone path or a rock garden, but it was an unusual and marvelous sight, and Char became regretful for leaving footprints in such an artistic display.
After tiptoeing between the stones, Char came upon a cluster of buildings, about six of them. He paused behind the wall of the largest home, as though to hide from view one final time before revealing his presence to the townspeople. He knew that Saura's father, or any of his siblings, could be standing behind any of the buildings; but so could the enemy, ready to pounce from nowhere and take Saura away. He pressed his claws against the gravelly wall and took a deep breath, listening to the quiet commotion of the village's inhabitants not so far away.
He looked up at the distant clouds, and saw how they had become tinted with yellow and orange as the day passed. Evening was upon them, and time had run out. It was time to put the plan into motion.
"Alright, whatever happens, be ready for anything," Char told his teammates quietly, looking into their eyes. "Saura, you'll have to go in front. We'll watch your back."
At last, after giving one final sigh, Char waved at the sky, and a minute later Otto fluttered down and landed at his side.
"What do you see?" Char hissed to the bird. "Any sign of danger?"
"No danger," Otto reported. "I see only villagers, including Mudkip and Bibarel. I have also contacted the other birds overlooking this mission, and they have sent no signals of distress. If there is danger, it is very well-disguised. However, there is a Venusaur nearby."
"How close?" Char asked, noticing the tension which struck Saura at the news.
"It sits at the river bank," Otto said. "From here, it is hidden by the next structure. It is alone, and appears to be keeping watch."
"Alright," Char said in reply. "Good work, Otto. Go back up and keep watch. Ah, Saura… it's time to meet your father."
Saura was plainly frozen, his paws rooted to the ground and his mouth hanging open. He looked blankly at the wall with wide and pitiful eyes.
"I just now realized… I don't know what to say to him," Saura said, his voice quaking. "Here I am, and… all this time, I don't know what to say. I never… took the time to think about it."
"Just tell him you love him," Ray offered. "And tell him you're sorry."
"Want to hold hands?" Char asked, offering his claw as he always would in times of stress.
Saura turned away from his companions and lowered his head, ready to march out from the shadow of the wall and into the light. "Nah," he said tersely. "I can do this... I'll do it. I've got to be the one to face him. It's just… He's my father, I can't hide behind you this time. I can do it."
"So, um… not to rush you or anything, but are you just going to spend all day talking about it?" said the disembodied voice of Alastair.
Saura broke out of his daze and screeched, but quickly muffled himself to prevent giving away their position. Char nearly fell over again, and screamed in a whisper, "Hey, what are you doing here?! I thought you said your invisible seed was going to run out!"
"Peh, Marrow had some more he didn't tell me about, " he replied from somewhere in front of Char's face. "He was gonna use them on himself but plans changed. See, the way looks clear, but there were some last-minute problems. The Remorse boys decided they wanted me to join you on the floor. So I'd appreciate it if you'd move it right along, or else you'll wear out all of these seeds too."
"Uh… what kind of problems?" Ray hissed in reply.
"Well, um… apparently, besides the 'saur family you're here to see, there's someone in this village that, um… doesn't usually live here. At least that's what one of the villagers said."
Char dug his claws into his forehead, stifling a groan. "Oh, that's great news," he growled bitterly, not knowing where to direct his snarl. "We get all this way, and now you're telling us you found something wrong? Is there an ambush, or not?!"
"Well, no, it's just a report of one Pokémon. One extra Pokémon who wasn't supposed to be here," Alastair replied. "We don't even know what kind it is. All we heard about it is that it's living somewhere upstream. And… it's red."
Char was about ready to snap. "Of course, it's got to be Adiel," he seethed. "Adiel really is here. Of course he'd be here! He sent the message! Ahh, and it took you this long just to find out? Are you guys just really bad at reconnaissance? It took you this long to realize we're walking into his trap? Oh, right. That was the plan all along, wasn't it? You were just hiding that information from us all along, just so we wouldn't back out of the mission! Weren't you?!"
"Ah, easy there, Charmander. Easy, easy," Alastair said in a mocking tone which circled around Char from one ear to the other. "Yeah, I can tell I'm real lucky to be invisible right now. But hey, before you try to blast me with fire, listen. You're an idiot if you think that Adiel's not the first one we suspected. But it really doesn't seem like him. Adiel almost never travels alone, and we're really not getting the impression that this red Pokémon is someone of any significance. So the Remorse guys thought, hey: they've got a spare Pokémon we didn't see coming, so let's give you a spare Pokémon, too. And that's gonna be me. So just go on in and act natural, and I'll pounce on in if there's trouble. Nothing's got to change."
Char sighed deeply, holding his head in his heads and letting his fire simmer for a moment. "Alright, fine. Fine," he finally said. "Let's go spring the trap, I guess. But I'm doing this for Saura. I just hope you know what you're doing…"
"Whelp, it looks like Saura's got the right idea," the invisible Pokémon said with a laugh. "Better go catch him."
Char snapped back to attention to find that Saura was gone. He had left the group behind, marching headlong around the building and into the tiny town square all by himself. Char nearly called out to him, but found himself at a loss for words.
"'Atta boy, Saura!" goaded Alastair. "See? He knows what he's doing. Go on after him, just pretend like I'm not even here."
Swallowing hard, the Charmander motioned for Ray to follow his lead, dropping to all fours and creeping slowly around the corner.
Saura couldn't help but notice how pretty the village was.
There wasn't much to the village. It wasn't very much like a town; it was only a handful of gardens, fields, and structures lining the stream as it flowed down the countryside. But the little Bulbasaur knew it was an outdoor home. He had grown up in an outdoor home himself, a territory he and his family revered as their own little haven, and he knew the love and effort which had been crafted into the natural surroundings when he laid eyes upon it. He saw how the ditches had been carved just right, the leaves collected up into bushy piles, the rocks placed in pleasant little clusters around trees. In a strange way, it reminded him of the meadow where he grew up.
His father told him once that the world was beautiful a long time ago. Pokémon everywhere lived outdoors, and cared for their forests and fields and swamps meticulously – especially the plant Pokémon – grooming and trimming the foliage, planting elegant bushes and trees with artistic vision. He said that Ambera was heavenly, once upon a time. He said that there was a golden age, something he had only seen in the earliest days of his youth, when the world was a perfect haven for Pokémon of each and every kind. He explained that the human-like buildings and structures were not so abundant outside of the grand capitals and royal castles, not until the Watchers came and created a need for them. As the Watchers grew numerous and plagued the night, the land grew wild, and the vines and trees becoming twisted and frayed because no one would tend to them. The world had lost the beauty he had once seen, a beauty he always wanted to remember in at least one corner of the world, the place where he raised his mate and his children. He wanted his seedlings to grow in the same world he had when he was so young.
At least, that's what his father had said. It sounded like a fairy tale, something he didn't quite take seriously. But there was a beauty he recognized in Purevine Village, the same beauty which he had taken for granted in his lovely little meadow. It was a beauty he had perhaps learned to resent as he performed the chores he was always forced to do with his siblings, collecting sticks and watering flowers so many times during the summer when he would have preferred to run away and see the rest of the world.
Now that he had seen the world, the little Bulbasaur knew, beyond a doubt, that his meadow and his family had been precious. There was something about his land, in the way his father cared for it, that not even Dialga could match in the divine architecture of Temporal Tower. There was a security he felt, deep in his memories of cuddling in his den, that the Gold Division could not replace.
He knew that he had begun to regret ever running away. He knew he had no choice; a lifetime of servitude to the Master, someone who would almost certainly abuse him for his Call ability, was a terrible fate. But it didn't mean that it wasn't painful to lose his home, his family, and the favor of his father; he thought about them every day, longing to see them safe and sound again. The pain he felt for them was real, shooting through his head like a bullet seed, each time he remembered his own betrayal of them. His dreams were plagued with worry for them, and he both dreaded and yearned to hear his father's words to him should he ever return. They were words he would soon hear, yet he wasn't sure if he would ever be ready for them.
Saura glanced at the ground as he took a step, noticing that the color of the dirt had changed underfoot. He gasped as he realized there was a design in the ground, huge and swirling and weaving, created with different colors of hardened clay and blooming all the way to each and every house in the little cluster. He pawed at the clay, awed at how smooth and pearly it was, and at how symmetrical the designs were crafted, almost as intricate as the red embroidered rug he crossed every day in Team Ember's base. His new home. The only place he could call home anymore.
There were some nearby villagers, a Bibarel and a Linoone speaking to one another. They cast him a passing glance, but disregarded him as a guest. There was a Pokémon he did not recognize, a water-type one, sitting by the stream motionless as though in deep meditation. Sighing nervously, Saura kept his eyes peeled for other Pokémon, whether enemy, or those he would recognize. He knew exactly where his father waited, thanks to Otto; he knew that he only needed to walk a little farther and peek around the side of the next house, the one which sat closest to the river bank, and his father would be waiting right there.
Panic mounted in his heart as he neared the house, and part of him didn't want to look. He thought to walk straight past house as though an oblivious wanderer, and perhaps he would stop to peer over his shoulder once he had gained enough distance. His willpower surged, and he passed right by the house in a proud march. But his blub grew heavy upon his back and his legs wobbled under its pressure, and he had not even taken six steps before his strength had drained from him, and he gave into the temptation to look at the riverside.
There he was. A mighty Venusaur, motionless in all but his deep breaths, lounged at the waterside. He gazed far away into the distance as though waiting for something.
Saura's breath caught in his throat as he was overcome with denial, and appraised the creature, noting the markings on his hide and the color of his petals. He hoped to find something which would prove this creature was not Grayleaf, his father and the father of his nine siblings. But he was as an image from his deepest dreams, burned into his mind's eye from the many sleepless nights he suffered. This Venusaur was indeed the one he had hoped, and feared, to meet.
Sheepishly, Saura crept closer to him, trying to make not the slightest sound with his footsteps. But there were only so many steps he could make before his knees locked completely, and he could only stare in distant apprehension.
Finally, he sighed one last time, glancing at the ground beneath him as though for support, and he croaked one tiny word, almost a whisper.
"Dad…?"
When Saura glanced back up, the behemoth Venusaur stirred. Gently shuffling his feet beneath his great body, he turned himself around and stared, silently, at the little Bubasaur. The Venusaur returned a gaze filled with so many different emotions, from shame, to relief, to resentment, and to pride; Saura could only stand helpless before his father's deep red eyes, and he felt his heart reduced to the depths of humility, far surpassing those he had felt in the presence of any legendary beast.
And they stared quietly at one another, their gazes locked in a soundless standstill.
For what must have been an entire hour, Saura's little mind spun in circles, struggling to find something to say to his long-lost father. As the sun descended and grew redder, he fished for anything that could have been even slightly appropriate, or expressive of his feelings, but only silence seemed fitting.
As if in reflex, the little Bulbasaur broke his gaze with his father and glanced behind him, noticing that his Charmander and Raichu friends were nearby, and had been watching from afar, waiting in eager anticipation of whatever words he would share with the Venusaur.
Saura remembered something.
"Dad, I…" Saura croaked, his voice broken. "I uh… I brought you something."
Saura sent an expectant gaze at his Raichu friend, who immediately snapped to attention.
"Oh! Oh, right. Almost forgot," Ray said, stuttering and scrambling to take off his backpack.
He fished around for a moment, revealing the apple that had been requested; a red and juicy one from Iron Town's produce market, and quickly dashed forward to deliver it. Saura saw that Ray had done a very good job not bumping it around, and it had no bruises or blemishes, and its skin remained as perfect and shiny as could be. Saura awkwardly drew his vines and swiveled them around the fruit, lifting it from Ray's grasp. He took small and careful steps toward the Venusaur, careful not to drop it.
"Here," Saura said, his voice small and fearful, as he lifted the apple above his head, presenting it to the vast Pokémon who stood only several steps before him.
Grayleaf drew his mighty vine and whipped at the apple, striking it from Saura's grasp. It splashed gently into the river. Before Saura could react, the mighty Venusaur leaned close and wrapped him in a warm and loving embrace, closing his eyes and touching his snout to Saura's forehead.
The little Bulbasaur couldn't hold back a sharp sob as he pressed himself against his father's warmth, letting go of his anxiety and his tension. His body trembled as his own vines squeezed tightly around the great Venusaur's head, his many tears all coming out at once.
"Dad… I'm sorry…" Saura could only say between his tearful gasps. "I… I love you…"
"I love you too, Saura," the great Grayleaf said in his strong, grumbly voice. "And I have hurt you in ways that you should never forgive me for. It's because… there were times when I had forgotten who you are. I had forgotten… that you are my son."
The sun sank even deeper toward the horizon as the reunited Pokémon held one another. They did not speak many words, but Char knew they did not need to; he had shared many similar moments with the Bulbasaur, and knew that words were not the best language of the deepest heartfelt emotions. Only through silence and gentle company could one convey such powerful things as love and acceptance. So, though the sunlight waned, Char didn't bother telling the Bulbasaur that Alastair was nearly about to become visible, or that they needed to hurry if they wanted to get back to the base on time. He just said nothing, and admired his best friend's happiness from afar, content with knowing Saura had no more need to be ashamed in the presence of his father.
Saura and the vast Grayleaf might have remained wordless until the darkness fell, but their silence was only interrupted with the loud click, the sound of a latch unbolted nearby. The door to the cottage burst open at the forceful push of an Ivysaur, who leapt out into the yard and yelled, "Dad, mom says you need to— Wait, Saura?!"
His voice was soon joined with the symphony of many young children, all yammering Saura's name in surprise and pouring out from the shadows of the house all around the Ivysaur. They crowded around their long-lost brother, shouting things to him incessantly. Char realized they were not unlike the Buneary children he had cared for so long ago.
"Saura! It's you! You're back!"
"Are you okay?"
"Did you work for the Master?"
"Are you rich?"
"Did you get to see the castle?"
Saura quickly unwrapped himself from his father's vines and turned his attention to his siblings, attempting to answer each of their endless questions. "Saurlee, it's so good to see you!" he shouted, nuzzling his sister. "You've grown so much! Ah, Saurden, I actually didn't meet the Master at all, I'm sorry! I don't think a lot of Pokémon ever have. Nah, I'm not rich. Well, maybe I am now, it's hard to tell. I have you back, that's all that matters! Ah yeah, Sauril, I got to see a castle, but it wasn't the Master's…"
"Heh, such silly names they all have," Char commented quietly to Ray.
Ray shrugged and said, "It's not too weird. Most of the time a big group of the same kind of Pokémon has names like that. I mean, it's better than calling them all 'Bulbasaur', right?"
Char chuckled. "Yeah, I guess," he said with a smile. "So, how long are we going to let them catch up with one another?"
"Ey, well, to be honest it shouldn't be hard to find shelter 'round here," Alastair said quietly. "We can fly back to the base like a bullet since we don't need to be as secretive on the return trip as we were coming here, but… we could stay the night, somehow, if it came to that."
"Good, I was thinking we'd need to stay. It got late all of a sudden," Char said. "Ah, this went well, don't you think?"
"Yeah, as good as could be expected," Alastair replied. "See, we were all getting worked up over–"
An unexpected voice, arrogant and brash, shouted loudly above the yammering of the Bulbasaur family.
"Hah. So you actually came."
Silence fell instantly upon the loving family as they turned their attention to the newcomer. It was a red fox with bushy orange fur: a Flareon. It strode confidently towards the family, sneering at them as though it knew it could defeat Grayleaf and all of his children effortlessly if it so chose.
The family reacted with stunned silence, all except for Saura, who instantly panicked and hid behind the Venusaur.
"I… I… I DON'T… need… your PITY!" Saura cried as loudly as he could. "I DON'T NEED YOUR PITY!"
"Funny," the Flareon sneered as it stepped closer. "I don't remember offering it."
The Flareon drew closer to the family, causing all the children to disperse and keep their distance. Grayleaf stood his guard, though he made no move to attack the fox. He simply stared at the newcomer with solemn understanding as Saura buried his head under his father's belly, trembling uncontrollably.
"W…why isn't Marrow rescuing us?" Char said in a baffled moment.
"Could be he's not in position, for whatever odd reason," Alastair hissed back. "Or could be he doesn't think this Flareon's a threat. Hey… back off for a moment, let's just watch and see what happens."
"No!" Char hissed in anger. "No, I'm protecting him! Ray, let's take down this guy! We need to protect Saura!"
But before Char could drop to his battle stance and charge after the Flareon, he felt a sudden, ice-cold claw clamping down on his right arm. He pulled against it, and he growled, "No! I know who that is! I've seen that Flareon before! That's… that's the one from Saura's nightmares! We need to help him!"
"I said, back off," Alastair repeated, tightening his grip. "This Flareon's not going to hurt him. He has no equipment, no army to back him up, alright? Ambushes don't work this way, kid. This Flareon's only here to talk. If we're going to attack, you attack on my mark. But for now let's just calm down and back off, and let's see what he has to say."
"You let go of me," Char seethed, pulling again against the invisible claw. "I can burn you if I want. Let go of me or I'll hold my breath and burn you with my skin."
He felt a twitch from the Weavile's arm.
"Pah… fine," the Weavile said, releasing his grasp. "Be that way. See if I care. But if you do anything stupid, it's on you."
Free of the Weavile's hold, Char decided to give the Flareon a chance to explain itself. However, he made a very subtle hand motion, signaling Otto to prepare for an attack.
The fox stepped around the great Venusaur and peered at the cowering one. "Look me in the eye when I speak to you," he barked. "You are the one I came for."
With a frightened yelp, the small Bulbasaur complied. He sprang to attention and shirked back against his father, and he found himself face-to-face with his deepest nightmare.
Saura realized, in that moment, that it was never his father he truly feared encountering. It was this Flareon, this single Pokémon, who became the focal point of his dread. It was the Flareon who had taken everything away from him, demanding his compliance to the Master. It was the Flareon who, in his fevered dreams, had tracked his brother and his sister and burned them to ashes. And it was this Flareon who now stood above him with a smug grin, his muzzle only inches in front of his face. He could feel the creature's heat pulsing in waves across his skin, warmth much stronger than any he had felt from Char.
"If I knew that simply sending you a letter would have brought you out of hiding, I would have done so much sooner," the Flareon said. "But I suppose it is too late now. Sadly, it is all over."
Char clenched his claw in rage. It was difficult to watch Saura's spirit so thoroughly broken, his face so filled with dread and despair.
He couldn't take it. Saura needed him. This was the moment Saura needed him most of all.
"Don't do anything stupid," the Weavile warned one last time. "Remember, that Flareon is immune to your fire."
"But he's not immune to lightning," Char shot back. "Ray… you still have that lightning you caught from earlier. Can't you paralyze him?"
"You bet," Ray replied. "Just say when."
Char took a single, courageous step forward.
"Stop."
The earth rumbled at the sound of Grayleaf's command, and Char stood stunned, seeing the great Venusaur glaring directly at him, his fearsome red eyes now filled with belligerence. Char staggered and could only do as the Venusaur commanded.
"You will not hurt the Flareon," Grayleaf boomed, drawing a vine and pointing it threateningly. "He is here under my agreement. Stand still, or you will not be welcome here any longer."
Saura quaked in disbelief, his tears having been spent long ago. "You brought him here?!" he shrieked. "Dad? You brought him back here?! Why?"
Char stood tall, letting the fire from his tail flare high over his head. "And you won't hurt Saura," he threatened back. "If you hurt him… We'll take him away from you again… and… Y-you'll never see him again."
The red fox gave an unsettling chuckle. "Hurt him?" he laughed, shaking his head sadly. "Why ever would I want to hurt him? I couldn't hurt him if I wanted to. I would be shackled to a dungeon wall and be left to rot for the rest of my days. I assure you, I am not so careless."
The Flareon turned his attention back to the pitiful little Bulbasaur at his feet, and said, "Saura, though we've met before, I do not believe I have ever properly introduced myself. I am called Hunter. That is not my name, but my profession; you see, my expertise lies in the business of finding Pokémon who do not wish to be found. You, little Bulbasaur, have been my latest assignment, and I have spent the year scouring Ambera for hints of your whereabouts."
"Y-you sent the letter, didn't you?" Saura said accusingly. "What about Adiel? The letter said it was from a Scizor!"
"Yes, the request was mine," the Flareon admitted. "Adiel only signed it. Pokémon who are not gifted with hands, or dexterous vines, as it were, often need assistance with the most mundane of tasks. Besides, I was not in the mood to ink my claw; it doesn't wash out very well. And do you wish to know why I summoned you here? Do you want to know why I went through the trouble of baiting you with your own family, and risking a paper trail which would circulate into your… shadow organization? It is because I wanted to congratulate you."
"What…? What are you talking about?" Saura cried, his baffled and distraught expression unchanging.
"You see," Hunter said, "In my time, I have been given nine assignments. They were all very challenging, I assure you. Pokémon who change their names, fake their deaths, hire impersonators of themselves, surround themselves with powerful allies, or just run off and hide themselves among the most savage of environments, just for a bit of privacy. But with the right methods, be it kidnapping, blackmail, mind-reading, or just learning to think like the enemy… they have all turned up, eventually, whether alive or dead, and I have broken that privacy, denied them of their greatest aspiration: the dream of simply becoming lost and forgotten. All except for one. See… though I have spent my life searching for nine Pokémon, of them, I have only found… eight. You, little seedling, were the one who got away. And for that, I wanted to congratulate you. You are the first black mark on my perfect record. Well done."
"So… you're not going to take me to Adiel?" Saura said, confused. "But I'm right here… You found me. What are you talking about?"
"Ah, yes, I found you, but it is a bit too late," Hunter said, finally turning and pacing farther away from the Venusaur and his family. "You see, you have been placed on the Master's list of… untouchable Pokémon. You and your family, that is. As long as you stay out of the Master's affairs and mind your own business, the Master and everyone who serves him cannot harass you under penalty of a life's imprisonment in his dungeon. You are lucky; not many Pokémon have been granted this luxury in the history of Ambera. Generally they are princes, kings, or elders of some kind, placed on the list for political reasons. You are on the list for a far more exceptional reason: the Master has been led to believe that Arceus and his omnipotent dragons have taken an interest in keeping you alive, and has ordered us all not to bother you, for fear of bringing divine wrath upon the empire."
Saura's mouth hung open as he tried to understand. The cocky Flareon only watched in amusement as the news broke to him, savoring his reaction.
"So I'm… untouchable," Saura replied, tasting the words. "I'm…"
"Safe," Hunter said for him. "You'll never again need to fear that Adiel will descend upon you to take you away. You are among the Master's favorites now, and your meadow will become a preserve so that you will never need to see fighting again. You might find that it brings a certain piece of mind that nothing else can match, knowing that you are no longer caught in this silly war. Just ask Grayleaf over here, he can tell you. Can't you, Grayleaf?"
"…Dad?" Saura said, peering up into his father's eyes. "Dad, what does he mean?"
The Venusaur sighed, hanging his head as though ashamed of himself. "Because," he said, "as long as you have been my son, I have also been untouchable. Adiel came to me many years ago, and told me that you were to serve him, and so that's the way I raised you. I raised you, knowing you would one day leave me whenever they requested you. In return, the Master agreed to mark your mother and I, and all of our family, as untouchables. I agreed with their demands… because it meant that my family would be safe."
"…Oh," Saura said, stunned. "You… wanted to… sell me into slavery… to keep the Master away…?"
"Consequently, when you ran away, your family's status was revoked," Hunter explained. "They suddenly found that they needed to run for their lives. And I chased them, because I thought to kidnap them and use them to blackmail you. After all, you were my target, and I would stop at nothing in tracking you down. But when I finally caught up to them, something strange happened: it was the act of a god which Adiel witnessed, and that moment is what eventually led to your reinstatement on the list."
Saura glared up at his father, his eyes filled with awe as he finally understood. Vaguely, he heard the voices of his brothers and sisters around him, gasping in wonder as they too heard of the Flareon's admissions. Saura's heart could not decide whether it felt betrayed or sympathetic to his father's decisions; after all, he knew just what it was like to obsess over the safety of his family, knowing the raw fear and worry that his loved ones could be taken at any moment, while he stood far away and helpless.
"Dad…" Saura croaked.
"Saura, you are right to resent me," Grayleaf said sincerely, bowing his head. "I had made a decision for you that only you would ever have the capacity to make. But I will never again make this mistake. Not as long as I live."
"Ah, but that's all in the past, now!" Hunter proclaimed mockingly. "My contract with Adiel has been terminated, and you're all one big happy family again. So run along home and get out of my sight. Congratulations on being my very first failure. Take pride in knowing that you, a little seedling, will hold forever hold a special place in my heart, and you have my undying and begrudging respect. At least until I meet another client who proves even more challenging than you."
The Flareon turned his tail and began to walk away, forever to leave the little Bulbasaur and his family at peace. He glowered at Char as he passed by, saying "Perhaps you and I will meet again someday. You should pray that we don't, because it would mean that someone has paid me handsomely just to find you. Oh, and if I should ever need to hunt you down, you might put up a bit more of a challenge if you were to remember that a canine relies more on the sense of smell than on eyesight."
He then turned to glare into the empty air beside Ray, and said, "Weavile, tell your superiors they would be wasting their time in following me. I don't work for Adiel anymore, so my destination is of no consequence to you."
"Hah!" Alastair laughed, causing the fox to jerk uncomfortably. "Actually, I'm standing over here! Might want to get that nose of yours checked, doggie."
Hunter gave one last snort of amusement, then galloped away down the shore of the stream. He was soon gone from sight.
As Saura's teammates finally rushed to his side to console him, and as his family cuddled around their long-lost Bulbasaur, Saura was only left staring at the horizon where the Flareon had disappeared. Hunter had left, taking all of the fears, the nightmares, and the headaches away with him. No longer would his family be destroyed. No longer would his brothers and sisters be in constant danger because of him.
Saura knew it was finally over.
As the day wound to a close, Grayleaf invited Team Ember into the cottage to spend the night. Alastair went away to report to Team Remorse, and Char accompanied his friends into the humble little place, which was much more spacious than it appeared on the outside. After lighting the fireplace, the room and everyone within it became bathed in a warm orange light, and Char was touched at seeing Saura's family resting so safe and cozily together. Saura's mother was there, although she did not look well; she lounged drearily in the corner, appearing as though she suffered from an illness. But when Saura asked her if she was okay, she replied that she was fine, and revealed that she was warming an egg she had recently laid, and that Saura would soon have another brother or sister. His exclamation of surprise filled the room.
Grayleaf offered a meal to his family, and extended invitations to Char, Ray, and Otto. He laid out for them many berries and leaves he had collected from the fields outdoors, and lastly produced a great golden apple which he had saved specifically for the occasion of Saura's return. Char's mouth watered when he laid eyes upon it, and he resolved not to let his slice disappear so fast like the last one he had eaten.
"By the way, Saura, did you like what we all did with the village?" Grayleaf asked warmly as the family savored their meal.
"What do you mean?" Saura replied, apple juice dripping from the sides of his mouth. "Oh! All of… All of that?! You did all of that? The swirls in the ground and all the rocks and… the river bank? Really?"
"When Hunter brought us here, the place was nothing but a slimy pile of compost," the great Venusaur snorted in disgust. "I knew I would be waiting for you for a while, so we occupied our time with gardening. It took twenty-nine days to get the village looking like this. I hoped you would appreciate the effort."
"Yeah! I did the swirly clay!" one of Saura's little brothers shouted. "It was a lot of work! Did you like it? Dad told me that you'd get to see it!"
"Oh, Saurden! That was amazing!" Saura laughed, offering a nuzzle to him. "Good job! You know, something told me it was you guys who all did this. I don't know how I knew it, but I knew. It reminded me of home."
For the rest of the evening, Saura told many stories of his great adventures, of snow-covered mountains and majestic legendary birds, of dreadful brushes with deadly ghosts, of magic orbs and visions of Dialga, and of the heroic Scyther and Infernape who had guided them. Char and Ray joined in, offering details in the places where Saura had forgotten, and together they sat in front of the fire and impressed Grayleaf and his whole family with their tales. Team Ember took turns rambling on and on, until at last all of Saura's siblings had fallen asleep, and only Grayleaf himself remained awake.
"Saura," he finally said as he prepared himself to rest for the night, "I want you to know that I intend to make up to you the wrong I have done. To think you were even favored by the gods… It shames me to know that I could not see the same value in you that they did. Somehow, I will come to deserve your forgiveness. I will find a way. I promise."
But Saura sighed, and said, "Dad… I already forgive you. Look, I… if I had known that I would have let all of you be safe forever just by joining the Master, I probably would have done it. I mean, maybe not back then when I ran away, but… I'm stronger now. I'm different, I fought battles and I learned all kinds of secrets and stuff that goes on in the war. So I understand why you wanted to protect everyone. But look… I don't care about any of that, dad. I'm just happy to see you again. I'm happy to see everyone here… I'm just so happy to see that everyone's safe."
Grayleaf smiled warmly at the Bulbasaur he called his son, and was touched by his words. "Whatever you choose to do, with your life, do not let me dictate it for you. I've done enough of that. Just know that you are always welcome among my family," he said. "I love you."
Saura cuddled with his family as he drifted off to sleep in the dying light of the fire. Char and Ray watched from the other side of the room, Otto having long ago fallen asleep standing in the corner.
"Seeing him makes me keep thinking of all the things I'd tell brother if I ever saw him again," Ray whispered as they watched over the peaceful family. "I wonder if I would forgive him… I don't know. Maybe I'd be just so happy to see him that I wouldn't even care. Maybe it doesn't matter. But I'm happy for Saura. I'm glad he got the happy ending I didn't get. I think maybe that's good enough for me."
But Char's heart was not at peace.
He felt shards of glass stabbing at his insides, his ember wavering and burning sour. A thought was stuck in his mind, something his heart couldn't let go. He knew, as he watched the sleeping Bulbasaur, that it was this thought which would likely keep him awake for the rest of the night. He let the inner turmoil take over him, ideas struggling for dominance and justification, as he rested his back against the bumpy wall of the odd little cottage and resigned himself to weariness.
Char wasn't sure if he'd even slept; his thoughts had been drifting in and out of coherence all night, and had become indistinguishable from dreams. Eventually, the morning was heralded by a knock at the door.
"It's me," a familiar voice said. "You in there, Char? Ray?"
Grumbling, Char opened the door, and the house was flooded with the late morning sunlight. Scratching at his eyes, he perceived the figure of a Weavile standing in the doorway.
"Char, Remorse is back in position," he reported. "We're ready to take you home."
"Right," Char groaned. "I'll get everyone."
After rousing Ray and Otto from their rest, Char tiptoed through the mess of sleeping Bulbasaur, grasping his tail steady so he wouldn't set any of them on fire. He found the Bulbasaur he most recognized nuzzled against his father's side, and whispered into his ear:
"The fire will never die."
Saura's eyes fluttered open, but he instantly sensed that he was not in the team's base, and he hesitated before responding to the wakeup call.
"Oh, time to go?" Saura said, realizing what was happening. "Alright… Ugh, I'm coming."
Saura gazed longingly at his family as he quietly left the house. He groaned and blinked his eyes as the yellow sunlight crept across his face, and he sighed peacefully as he joined his team.
"Sleep well?" Ray asked him.
"Yeah," Saura responded. "No nightmares. None at all. I think… the curse might be gone. I can't feel the headaches anymore."
Char knew he should have felt happy for the Bulbasaur. Everything had turned out fine for him. But his inner fire burned brighter than ever before, and a conviction filled him, never faltering even as he tried to fight it away.
"So uh… what do we do?" Saura wondered. "How do we leave?"
"Marrow and Nidoroch are positioned to perform a maneuver called a 'pop and pull,'" Otto explained. "Using the maneuver, it will be difficult for spies to discern which direction we retreat. To comply, you must simply walk into the field, and announce that you are ready. I will return to the Division on my own, and I will meet you when you arrive."
"Sounds good," Ray said. "I hear this 'pop-and-pull' thing is kinda fun, I wonder what it's like. Well, I guess we'll see you back at the base, Otto—"
"Wait."
Char sighed sadly, holding his arm to halt his team from continuing forward. He closed his eyes tightly, a sensation like a painless migraine tearing through his skull and his heart.
"Hmm? What's wrong?" Ray said, checking the bag he held. "Did we forget something?"
"No, I just…" Char struggled to say. "Do you guys… Do you think I could have a word alone with Saura?"
Ray blinked. "Um… sure, go ahead," he said awkwardly, glancing back at the cottage from where they came. "Fine by me. Just… come get me when you're done, alright?"
Purevine Plains
After convincing Ray and Otto to give them a private moment, Char walked with a very confused Saura out into the field, far away from the buildings of Purevine Village. It was a very beautiful morning, quite warm even for autumn. Many birds sung their songs in the nearby trees, and more still flew in formation across the sky, migrating to the golden lands where it was warmer. The ambergrass grew in tall and fuzzy patches, and the serene breeze rustled through them. Char closed his eyes and focused on the sounds of nature, and breathed long and deeply, hoping they would bring him the peace he needed.
At last, when he felt he was ready, the Charmander turned to his best friend, and said, "Saura, I think I want you to stay with your family."
The Bulbasaur's eyes grew wide in revelation, and he stepped back in apprehension. "Char… What… What do you…"
But Saura failed to find a coherent sentence to say, and instead just stared blankly at his team leader. Char returned a sad, knowing gaze.
"This is what you wanted," Char told him. "Saura, I remember watching you try to run through the blizzard, calling out to your family. I will always see that every time I close my eyes. It's burned into my mind. Even though I was smoldering at the time, it cut me deep enough to make me see why you're fighting. Saura, I know this is what you wanted. This is why you tried to find them in the snow, and why you dreamed about them so many times. You wanted them back."
"Char, w-wait," Saura stammered, shaking his head. "Yeah, I'm happy to see them alive… and I think my headaches went away for good… but Char… we're a team. Aren't we?"
"We're a team because I made a promise not to let anything happen to you," Char replied, his confidence swelling with every word he spoke. "That's what I told you in the cave when I found you. And now I can keep you safe forever if I let you stay here with your family. That's how I'm going to fulfill that promise to you forever. Look, you're untouchable now. The Master doesn't want you anymore! Saura… if I made you come back to the base with me, I would be just as thoughtless as your father was when he tried to sell you to Adiel for his own safety. I can't do that, Saura. I have to do what's best for you. This is your chance! Go teach Saurlee how to explore the forest! Go on vacations with Saurvor and see the rest of the world! Forget about this war and be free! You have the Call, keep it away from everyone who wants to use it as a weapon, keep it secret!"
Though Char gave Saura so many reasons to leave the war, the greatest reason of all was the one he kept silent: he didn't want Saura to ever fall victim to his mind-control. He couldn't bear the thought that one day, his fire might blaze out of control, clouding his judgment with rage and arrogance, and that he would twist and bend the mind of his best friend with his unrelenting psychic power, turning him into a shell of his former self.
He wanted to protect Saura from the Master, but most of all he wanted to protect Saura from the Call.
Saura shuddered and fidgeted uncomfortably at each of Char's statements as they overwhelmed him, and he grasped feebly at objections. "Char, I just don't know!" he cried. "What about you? Y-you're a human… you still haven't figured out what you're doing here! You don't know why you changed into a Charmander! I-I never helped you figure that out!"
"You helped a lot," Char returned sternly. "You gave your whole heart to help me. I can't ask you for anything more. This is your reward for everything you've done for me. You deserve to rest. I'll go on and find the rest of the answers myself. The others will help me. Maybe I'll even have more team members soon! Saura… Dialga told me something when we left the tower. He told me to do whatever I believed in, and that would bring me closer to my goal. And this is what I believe in."
Saura once again had no words. He idly pawed at the ground, every word catching in his throat as his mouth hung open.
"Char…" he said sadly, looking back in the direction of the cottage. "I just… I just don't know."
Char felt something. There was a sensation in his head, loud and strong. The hum of a musical note, rapidly growing into a full-blown roar. And from the roar, a cheerful telepathic voice came to him, telling him that it was time to use the Call, to bend the minds of the Pokémon around him to his will.
Char had hoped in the back of his mind that it would happen. He had come to understand what time if day it tended to come, and for once he had gambled, and planned for it. And as he watched over the Bulbasaur he so loved, he knew just what words to speak with the Call's power. He opened his mouth and spoke his words carefully, professing his command with his mind at the same time as his voice, a gentle and comforting whisper:
"Saura, I know I can't tell you what to do. If you want to come back with me, you can. But I want you to be honest with me this time. Stop hiding your feelings. Look me in the eyes, and tell me the truth: do you really want to stay here with your family?"
Saura did just as the Call instructed, glancing back to the Charmander and staring straight into his eyes. Char watched as fragments of a sentence formed upon his friend's throat, the Bulbasaur's expression turning from confusion, to sadness, to acceptance, and finally to shame.
"Yes," Saura replied, immediately averting his gaze and staring at the nearest stalk of ambergrass. "I do… I want to stay here. That's the truth. Char… part of the reason I had the headaches wasn't just because I felt guilty for ruining my family. There was always a part of me that… blamed it on you."
Char's heart clenched in his chest. He had always suspected Saura was hiding some of his deepest feelings from him, and now he felt the brunt of regret for asking.
Saura stamped away in shame, shouting at the ground. "I'm sorry! I know! I know it doesn't make any sense! But you wanted the truth. That's the truth. That's why there was always that Flareon in the dream. That's why Hunter was there, and he would always burn them with fire, Char. Because… Because of you. The fire was you."
Char only sighed, knowing he couldn't fight the pain any longer. His fire boiled sour and stabbed him from the inside.
"I see," he simply replied, crossing his arms. "I see."
"But Char, look, I don't hate you. I don't," Saura pleaded, turning back around to face his friend. "The curse made me feel that way. It didn't mean anything!"
Char approached him, kneeling down his level and wrapping his arms around his friend's head. It was finally Char's turn to cry, and though he had tried to hold it back, he couldn't keep some of his tears from falling upon the Bulbasaur's cheek.
"It means something," Char said in a quiet, broken voice. "It means that you love your family, and you'd be happier if you stayed here. So… can you do that for me? Can you stay here?"
"Yeah," Saura replied softly, leaning into the embrace. "Yeah, Char. Okay. I'll stay here."
They held one another closely, perhaps for the last time, as the remnants of the morning seemed to slip away around them.
Purevine Village
When they were ready and their hearts were at peace, Char and Saura returned to the pebbled cottage, and gave their news to the remaining teammates. Ray was surprised, but he took it well, agreeing that it was probably for the best. Otto only nodded in understanding, and Char couldn't tell how he felt.
"Take care of him," Saura ordered to the stunned Raichu and the Pidgey. "He's a very important human, and he has a destiny you guys need to help him with. Something big is going to happen because of him. He doesn't know what it is yet, but you need to help him get there. Can I trust you?"
"You can count on us," Ray replied solemnly, giving Saura a powerful hug. "Don't worry about a thing. Char's in good hands. And you know how to find us if you ever need us, alright?"
"Top priority is to find Giratina," Otto affirmed. "It will supersede all other priorities."
Char thanked the Bulbasaur for everything he had done, all the hardships and joys he had shared, and all of his help in making Team Ember what it had become. He promised to drop everything and come running if Saura ever needed his help.
Though they tried to prolong the conversation forever, the four Pokémon soon ran out of things to say, and there was nothing left to do but to wave goodbye.
Shortly later, Saura watched as Otto ascended high into the sky, and as Char and Ray stepped out into the field. A Nidoking and a Marowak burst from beneath the soil and grabbed them, pulling them down into the dark tunnels below.
Shamble Forest
In the shade of the canopy, a Scizor stood in contemplative silence.
"They left him…?" he said again, grinding the flat of a pincer against his forehead.
"Yeah, I couldn't believe it either, commander, but that's exactly what happened," a Dusknoir replied. "They left him there."
"So they had an invisible Weavile," he recounted, pacing in circles upon the forest floor, "And some Pokémon underground. But otherwise… they just showed up… and left him there."
The Dusknoir winced nervously, not knowing whether the Scizor was asking for confirmation yet again. He only watched as the Scizor became visibly distraught, coming to rest his forehead against a nearby tree.
"Did Hunter get away, at the very least?" Adiel finally asked.
"Yes, commander, he's far away," Dusknoir confirmed. "Why, do you want him to come back?"
"No, I told Hunter he could leave as soon as he was done talking to Saura," Adiel explained. "I'm done with him. I don't need him anymore. Let him go where he wants."
Adiel stopped walking for a moment, standing in silence. Then, he released a sudden burst of frustration, slamming the side of his steely pincer against the tree trunk and leaving a sizable dent.
"This 'plan' of theirs… the way they approached a mission which was clearly a baited trap, with nothing… absolutely nothing… but an invisible Weavile, some burrowers, and a few birds… It baffles me," he said, hanging his head low and examining the roots of the tree he had assaulted. "If I didn't know any better, I would think that Scythe had nothing to do with this plan… at all."
The Scizor knelt low to the ground in silent reflection.
"Dusknoir, if I would tell you something, would you keep it a secret?" Adiel said quietly, turning to his ghost companion.
"Of course, commander," the ghost replied with an awkward bow. "It's what I'm here for."
With a heavy sigh, the Scizor said, "Between you and I… Right now, as of this moment, I have no earthly idea what's going on."
The steeled commander rose to his feet again, glancing between the trees of the forest. "I think I will need to disappear for a length of time," he decided. "Perhaps I will only see the full picture if I step back and view things as a whole. I believe this is the last you will see of me for the foreseeable future."
"Very well, then," Dusknoir said. "What would you have me do?"
"Let me see it," Scizor said. "Let me see it one more time."
Dusknoir produced from his ghostly body the small purple sphere, just as he often would for his boss. He tossed it into the air, and Adiel caught the small object in his pincer, looking it over keenly as though to check for dents or blemishes.
"You are at ease, for now," Adiel told him, tossing back the master ball. "I will contact you if I need. Keep looking for the entrance to the resistance base. I will disappear into the woodwork; I only hope the efforts of Cepheus and his team are more productive than mine. The stage is set for him, now; I leave the basin in his capable claws."
The two Pokémon parted ways, each disappearing into the shadows.
Division Base
It was a very odd feeling as Char, Ray, and Otto returned to their rooms. Char knew that something, perhaps the heart and soul, was missing from the team, something which no other Pokémon would be able to provide. But he knew that the Pokémon who had provided it was now in a better place, safe from the dangers of the fight against the Master. And, more importantly, safe from the influence of the Call. The Charmander held his head high, secure in the knowledge that he had done the right thing. He had finally repaid Saura's selflessness with his own.
As Ray stashed the spare items into the closet as he always would, Char opened the door to his bedroom and stared at Saura's nest, wondering whether or not it should be left in place.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Char rushed to the front of the hall to greet the guest as Ray pushed the door open. It was Eva.
"Good afternoon," she said politely. "You were gone for longer than I expected. How are Saura's headaches?"
"His headaches are healed," Char told her flatly. "Also, he quit the team."
The Espeon reeled in surprise. "What?! He quit? And you let him?!" Eva cried. "Why did this happen?!"
"I think he's fought hard enough," Char told him. "He'll be happier living with his family. I'll…"
"What?" Eva replied oddly.
The Espeon tilted her head, unsure of why Char had stopped speaking, or why Team Ember collectively stared at her in disbelief. It was not until Char blankly pointed above her head that she noticed the strong aura of another Pokémon encroaching upon her mind, and hesitantly peered over her shoulder.
She found Scythe staring back at her.
Instantly, she shrieked in fear, her fur standing on end as she pounced through the door and backed away from the Scyther. But Scythe only smiled wryly and waved at her.
"Hah! Gotcha!" he called to her cheerfully. "Ah, I haven't seen you in a while, Eva! How've you been doing?"
The Espeon clamped her mouth shut, stifling the cries and insults she was nearly about to unleash onto him. Instead she only blinked and replied, "Hmm… I have been keeping busy, I suppose."
"Good!" Scythe answered. "I just came down to check on Team Ember. I heard they came back from quite the interesting little escapade. Learn much of anything, guys?"
Char and Ray were left baffled, trying to remember what, if anything, they had picked up from the mission.
"We learned… much, I assure you," Otto said, speaking up for his team members. "I learned how to guide land-walkers on a long journey. Char and Ray learned much as well, such as how to carefully approach a potential trap. Perhaps they will explain it in detail later."
"Uh… yeah!" Char repeated awkwardly. "Right now we are very busy!"
Scythe nodded in understanding. "I heard about what happened to Saura," he said. "You'll have a lot of work to do if you want to pick up the slack he left. But it makes sense what you did for him. It was an honorable decision."
"Yeah, we'll work very hard, as always!" Ray cheered, joining in to help usher the Scyther along as soon as possible.
Scythe turned to leave. "Ah, now I suppose I must return to the team, and let them ramble my ears off about all the problems we're having at the canyon," he grumbled. "Anyway, Marrow will be back tomorrow, as always, so be sure to have your next mission planned out for him. As for me, I'll be seeing you!"
When Scythe was gone, Char slammed the door shut and Eva breathed a huge sigh of relief.
"That was… odd," she said, laying herself down on the rug. "Honestly, I did not expect him to treat me so acceptingly…"
Char shrugged. "Huh, maybe he forgave you," he offered. "Maybe it's been so long that he doesn't mind."
"Yeah, and maybe he just forgot," Ray suggested, closing the closet door. "You've kept hidden from him for a long time now. And he has a lot of things on his mind nowadays."
"I doubt it," Eva sneered, shrugging. "I think he was pretending. I noticed deceit in his stature and his face. But I suppose I can always probe his mind later, granted I can get close enough to him, to find the answer myself."
"Either way, I guess we have to do what he says, and get another mission," Ray said, moving toward the door of the planning room. "I guess I'll give the list a quick go-over, and see if I can find anything reasonable."
But when Ray opened the door to the planning room, a tall figure stood behind it.
Eva winced, and was overtaken with dread once more. She jumped to her feet and attempted to run and hide, but it was too late; the large yellow figure bolted from the door and attacked her, engulfing her with a powerful spell of telekinesis. Char yelped in surprise, and realized who he was looking at: a very, very angry Alakazam, his eyes glowing deep red and his hands glowing with psychic force.
Eva squealed in protest as the master psychic pinned her against the wall until she was nearly motionless. The High Intelligence leader effortlessly lifted his hand, dragging her higher up the wall and rotating her until she hung helplessly upside-down.
"I should have known you were hiding with Char," he boomed. "I had eliminated all other possibilities. That you would dare to take advantage of him."
"Wait!" Char pleaded. "Wait, Alakazam! What are you doing? What's wrong?!"
"This Espeon is an outlaw of the Division," Alakazam explained plainly. "She serves no team, and instead only tells lies so that she may leech the conveniences of the teams who perform our work. I have since attempted to detain her, but she has always eluded me until now. Sinister Espeon, Hereby I banish you from the Gold Division—"
"WAIT!" Char cried again. "Wait! I… I… Stop!"
Surprisingly to Char, he had won Alakazam's attention.
"She is on a team!" Char pleaded. "She's on my team! She's my teammate!"
"Not officially," Alakazam replied. "It is her way. She only lives in the quarters of other teams, beseeching their hospitality…"
"Well… she is now!" Char proclaimed. "Eva! You're on the team! I'll register you right now! Just… put her down, please!"
Alakazam hesitated, glaring resentfully at the helpless Espeon. He hummed to himself for a moment in contemplation.
"Do you comply with this?" he demanded calmly. "Do you agree to be placed under the command and responsibility of Char, and to adhere to the Division rules from this day forward?"
Though she still quivered in panic, Eva's eyes widened at the notion, and she stared disbelievingly, almost humbly at Char.
You trust me? She quietly asked him.
I don't know, Char returned. All I know is that you need a place to stay, and we have an opening on the team. I left Saura behind so that he wouldn't have to be a fugitive anymore. Now it's your turn. Stop running away from everyone because you're afraid of being banished. I don't want to see you get banished, Eva. I think we could be partners. Stop running and let us help you.
Staring straight into Char's eye, Eva gave the slightest, most hesitant nod.
Alakazam dropped his hands to his sides.
With a thump, the Espeon hit the floor. Alakazam turned indifferently to Char and said, "Don't bother visiting the registrar. If that's what you truly wish, Char, then I'll register her to your team myself. I only pray to Arceus you can control her better than I."
At that, Alakazam teleported away, leaving a very weary and tattered Eva laying on her side against the wall, her eyes wide and filled with awe.
"I am touched you would consider me so valuable, or even trustworthy," she gasped as Char rushed forward to help her up. "I do not know what to say… human. Thank you."
"Of course, you don't have to help us if you don't want," Char replied. "I just didn't want to never see you again. I already lost a friend today. I didn't want to lose another one."
"I admit, I have been considering your offer for a long time," she said softly, climbing to her feet. "Of course, I had nothing better to do with my time. You are right; it is exhausting and boring to hide in the shadows every day. It is foolish of me to tell myself I enjoy this life of an outcast, if I can never see the sun, or even feel the mind-waves of other Pokémon. I will serve your team, human. I will be honored in doing so, knowing that you were willing to trust me, even after I had revealed to you my true nature. It is a kindness no other Pokémon has shown to me in a very long time. Please accept my thanks. My services are yours."
"Well, that settles it!" Ray laughed happily. "We're back to four! Welcome to Team Ember, Eva! We've got a lot of work to do, and a lot of secrets to tell you! You'd better be ready to give it your all!"
"I have been on a team before, I understand what it is like," she said, cracking a smile. "It was a very, very long time ago… Perhaps one day I will tell you."
Later that day, Char relaxed in his bed to think about the day's events, and he found himself surrounded by a very strange team indeed.
Saura's bed remained in place. However, Eva had moved in as well, and had filled the room to its maximum capacity: two beds on the left of Char, and two on his right. It was very clear to him, now, that he could accept no more team members while still expecting to run the team in a casual and non-professional manner. The days were ending when Eva, Ray, and Otto could not merely be his friends. Soon, they would be primarily his partners, and his followers; he would need to learn how to instruct them, to manage them, and sometimes to offend them. Such was the responsibility of a true team leader. Like Eva, he had hidden from his true responsibilities for far too long, and it was now time to apply everything he had learned, regardless of the difficulty or pain. It was the only way to move himself, and his team, forward.
"Do you think he'll come back?" Ray wondered absently, staring at the wall.
"He's welcome to, if he wants," Char replied, watching one of his fires dance. "He's always welcome back. I just don't know if he will."
"I suppose we won't be striking him from the registry just yet," Eva noted. "We'll have to support a ghost member until we decide to drop him for good. That means we'll have to pay higher taxes and take harder jobs. But it's ultimately your call, Char."
"I know," Char said, holding his tail and playing with the flame on the end. "I guess we'll see."
Char soon realized the hardest part of letting Saura go: there would be nobody around to speak with at night, nobody to share his feelings and ideas with… or at least nobody who he could trust as closely. Char knew he would have to start holding many of those feelings inside of himself. It was the only way he would keep himself going. Perhaps, he thought, they would fuel his fire and give him more power. Or perhaps they would break him like the small, vulnerable candle he still was on the inside.
But after everything he had done, and all the times he convinced himself over and over that he would be alright without his closest companion, he wasn't sure of much. All he knew was that things would soon be very, very different for Team Ember, but something told him they'd be up to the task.