⚔️👒 Zolu Playlist 👒⚔️
28 songs
Full tracklist, selected lyrics, n writeup below cut
(Contains: The Happy Fits, PUFFY, Illuminati Hotties, Paramore, The Shins, The Orion Experience, Best Coast, Utada Hikaru, etc)
(+a couple songs absorbed from ao's zolu playlist)
1. The Shins - Simple Song
Mixed POV, Zoro being recruited by Luffy.
...
You sure must be strong
And you feel like an ocean being warmed by the Sun
//
My life in an upturned boat
Marooned on a cliff
You brought me a great big flood
And you gave me a lift
//
I know that things can really get rough
When you go it alone
Don't go thinking you gotta be tough
To bleed like a stone
Could be there's nothing else in our lives so critical
As this little hole?
2. Slow Pulp - Cramps
Zoro POV, vibing with being a pirate, actually. realizing he's a lot like Luffy / they have a lot in common. Wants to protect his crew. Part of a family now. But also specifically drawn to Luffy, drawn along with Luffy. Has a nice confident, grungy, fighty vibe.
...
Be a better lover, I know that I'm a runner
Oh no, I think I've become her
There's nothing better than being the protector
Out of a routine, the only one I've ever seen
I wanna be a foolproof machine
There's nothing better, wanna be like Heather
I'll take anything
That you wanna give
But I want everything
Everything
3. PUFFY - Friends Forever
Mixed POV, perfectly in sync. friends forever. big adventuring vibe. facing the world together. slight nod to whiskey peak.
sidenote: it's really annoying to find this song on youtube without scooby doo noises playing over it (official music videos my beloathed...)
the "pokemon and their trainers" (...gijinkas) video is the best one for my region at least.
...
Just when I thought I had to make it alone
You were right there by my side
Making a stand holding my hand the way you do
There to remind me of a "me and you"
When I'm with you all my fear disappears
Like if I reach, I touch the sky
You've got my back, pick up my slack when I can't see
But nothing picks me up like knowing we'll be
Friends forever
Face whatever
Friends forever
Yay! we're never gonna be apart
You and me, we are so oddly the same
The way we think, the way we play
Right from the start, so off the charts, about this thing
But we didn't know at first that we were making
Friends forever
Bound together
Friends forever
Yeah! We'll always be there
Oh yes, there also can be times that get rough
And all that can be said is "sorry"
That we were wrong and said some meaningless stuff
And we'll go on together, through any nasty weather
Yeah
4. Illuminati Hotties - Sandwich Sharer
Luffy POV - flippant & happy vibe. but also visceral, grungy, fighty. kissing. sharing food. "you thought i was bleeding but that's just my spit!!".
...
Restarted kissing
You said "I'm dreaming"
I couldn't stop from laughing
Cause it's the realest thing I ever did
Taking our clothes off
Painting on rooftops
Sit back on shingles in the shade,
I bare my teeth at future fake outs we had coming
Drooling tomato sauce, to make it look legit
You thought i was bleeding but that's just my spit
Sandwich sharer
Unprepared for
What comes after this
Take the big half
I will bite back
What you won't finish
Until we're finished
5. The Happy Fits - Sailing
Zoro POV oops catching feelings for a friend
...
My body's achin'
My ship's left the shore
Your eyes are waiting
My knees on the floor
And it's been so long
Since I had a friend
And it's been so long
Why can't we just pretend?
And I feel your laughter
Your warm, open stare
And I'm chasing after
Somethin' that isn't there
6. The Pillow Queens - Favourite
idk just vibes "tell me i'm your favorite" + "i'm being so normal"
...
i’ve got no reason to be feeling like you’re mine
for the next four seasons let it die, let it die
i can’t help hoping that you think i’m really nice
want some brief hand holding on the sly, on the sly
hey you can say it, i’m your favourite
hey you can say it, i’m your favourite
7. The Beths - Warm Blood
Luffy POV - Zoro is warm and good feelings. Not "you make me feel protected", but "you are a raincoat". Feels very Luffy. "you really get me"
...
Nothing makes me feel like this
Nothing makes me feel like this
Nothing but you
Nothing but you
My head is hanging from the roof
I'm floating all about the room
Because of you
Because of you
I wanna bask in the rays of the way I feel right now
(Ooh oooh)
I wanna bask in the rays of the way I feel right now
(Ooh warming up my blood)
You are a raincoat, you are a zeppelin flight
You are a bonfire burning a three dog night
You are an isle of calm on a stormy sea
You really get, you really get
You really get me
I wanna be here when you call
Pick up the phone and I would fall in love with you
In love with you
8. MONKEY MAJIK - Around the World
Mixed POV. During timeskip. Counting down the days until we can see eachother again. We'll change the world, make it better, we're training to make that happen.
sidenote: the mixed eng/jpn version of this song is my favorite and the one i'm referring to here
...
Every night I look to the skies And wonder what we did
Always a naive point of view that breaks us in the end
If I could find the meaning of it all I’d take the chance
Maybe in time We’ll walk the mile and change it if we can
It’s now and always (How did we get this far,did we get this far now)
Always (We’re making a brand new start, just a brand new start now)
Always (Nothing will hold me down, never hold me down now)
Always (Wave goodbye to me!)
Around the world
新しいことに(with the power to)
Around the world
踏み出す力で(step forward to something new)
Around the world
世界は変わる(I'll change the world)
But don’t run away ’cause if it’s not OK!
I’ll change that world
Into something better honey!
9. Natalie Holmes - Hideout
Zoro POV, Luffy brings light to all those around him, reawakens ppls dreams and leads his crew in to a beautiful inspiring new life :')
...
Under the stars, out in the elements
If there's no room, there are no elephants
When you speak the waves are radiant
You've got a face that softens every muscle in my body
I’ve never needed all these things to feel whole
Something familiar in the love that you provide
(And now) I’ve got an empty hideout cause I don't need to hide now
The wind can blow out the candle, cause I'm certain I can't fall
You've got a face that softens
All of the glass I’ve trodden
Now I’ve got an empty hideout
I don’t need to hide now I don’t need to
Something in your love makes everything light up
We don’t say a word although we want to
Your heart was on the line now suddenly it’s mine
There’s something in your love
Something in your love
Something in your love, in you love
10. Daft Punk - Digital Love
just vibes. dreaming. dancing together. having fun.
...
Last night I had a dream about you
In this dream I'm dancing right beside you
And it looked like everyone was having fun
The kind of feeling I've waited so long
Don't stop, come a little closer
As we jam the rhythm gets stronger
There's nothing wrong with just a little little fun
We were dancing all night long
The time is right to put my arms around you
You're feeling right, you wrap your arms around too
But suddenly I feel the shining sun
Before I knew it this dream was all gone
Ooh, I don't know what to do
About this dream and you
I wish this dream comes true
Ooh, I don't know what to do
About this dream and you
We'll make this dream come true
Why don't you play the game?
Why don't you play the game?
11. Mitski - Stay Soft
Mostly just like the bridge "open up your heart like the gates of helllll". But feels more like Zoro POV (thirsty). And touches a little the communication issues these two have
...
Fury, pure and silver
You grip it tight inside
Like a knife, it glints in your eye
It's why I've arrived, your sex god
Here to take you where
You need to go, to where the dark remembers you
Open up your heart
Like the gates of Hell
//
I am facedown on my bed
Still not quite awake yet
Thinking of you, I tuck my hand under my weight
Just tell me what you want to do
Tell me what you want to burn away
'Cause I could be your stoker
12. Air Traffic Controller - You Know Me
Mixed POV. You know me! Perfectly in tune.
...
You know me
You know everything about me now
My heart is in your hands, and you know you could break it
But wouldn't you rather make me sing like this?
You know me
I try to find some good in everything
Since you came along, somehow this got easy
'Cause all you wanna do is please me, my love
This could be a roller coaster
But we're gonna make the most of it
Whether on top, or we're going down, you know me
You know me (I know you)
And how I get when I'm uncomfortable
If I'm too hot, or cold
Tired, bored, or hungry
I'm fine when you're around me, boy
And you know me
I've never been on time for anything
I do apologize, I know it's such a bother
I promise to try harder for you, girl, oh I will
13. The Orion Experience - Honeysuckle Kisses
Luffy POV. Desires filed away in a very Luffy way "All I want is all my wishes, and I've love to have your honeysuckle kisses". Romance as an afterthought to the great big adventure.
...
They say we're crazy, completely insane
I don't give a damn, I think we're fascinating
We keep it moving and riding this train
They can stop and stare
But I don't care
Oh, they just can't see who we are
You and I, yeah
We belong to the stars
No matter how they try
They won't tear us apart
All I want is all my wishes
And I'd love to have your honeysuckle kisses
All I need to fulfill my bliss is
Is your honeysuckle, honeysuckle kisses
That's what I want
14. The Happy Fits - Around and Around
Zoro POV, Pre-relationship, unsure about what's happening due to poor communication. Things are coming to a boiling point. And also "I could see the world with you" - be by your side forever, go on adventures. Do you want that? Do I? Will you have me?
...
I don't know what I'm seeing,
when the world keeps spinning around my eyes
I think I lost my meaning
Just another day to survive
And I can't keep thinking about it, keep thinking about it
Can't be still anymore
No, there's nothing so simple about it, nothing simple about it
Can't be still anymore
I can't be still anymore
I can't be still anymore
I'll go 'round and around
Go 'round and around with you
No, don't slow me down
No, don't slow me down, will you?
And I could see the world with you
And I could see the world with you
15. Paramore - Proof
Mixed POV, during timeskip. They're apart. Missing eachother. Believe in you, ride or die. So strong! They'll meet up again, even stronger than before.
...
It's really hard
I can't cry in your arms 'cause you're not here
It's not your fault, and if it was, I wouldn't care
My heart is bigger than the distance in between us
I know it 'cause I feel it beating
So strong, it'll knock you down
So strong, so strong
Over here
I can count the miles away from where I wanna be
I bet your skin is warm and that you're smiling
Yeah, that's what I always loved the most about you
So strong, come and knock me down
Hey!
Baby, if I'm half the man I say I am
If I'm a woman with no fear just like I claim I am
Then I'll believe in what you say
There's nothing left for you to do
The only proof that I need is you
16. Utada Hikaru - Chikai
(aka zolu "wedding" song. Primarily Zoro POV, making oaths, matching rings, liking someone so much it makes you feel uncool, waaaaaaauughhhhghgh😭)
...
I don’t know about fate
But this time
I have to accept that it exists
//
Today is a day without lies
It's a perfect day for making an eternal vow
Don't need pretty flowers or witnesses
Let’s wear rings of the same color
//
What I say now isn't borrowed words
It’s not a promise, it’s an oath
I can’t go back to being a liar
Let’s wear rings the color of the morning sun
Let’s dance with our hearts pounding
Let’s celebrate being alive in this moment
//
Kiss me once, kiss me twice
Give yourself to me
Let’s listen to sound of the sun rising, side by side
Let’s swear to live our lives together
17. Best Coast - When I'm with You
Mixed POV
...
The world is lazy
But you and me
We're just crazy
So, when I'm with you, I have fun
Yeah, when I'm with you, I have fun
//
I hate sleeping alone
18. Gerard Way - No Shows
Pre-relationship. Not wanting to be tied down, but also being drawn in to it anyway, idk.
...
Been weeks I been living
And your smiles are giving me
All types of treble
Weak knees I been given
And those nights are making me
Star-struck and metal
Stay free, don't go
'Cause we don't need no
Try to be living as your vice
And can you be my type?
'Cause we need to be given a good life
And can I be your type of metal?
Stay free, don't go
'Cause we don't need no shows
19. VUKOVI - Colour Me In
Mixed POV - Follow you anywhere, die for you, we're one together (you're mine you're mine you're mine!)
...
All I am
And even more
I'll give it to you
Couldn't count
All the ways
That I'd die for you
We are one
We are whole
And I'll go with you
Breathing out, breathing in
And I loved you again
//
Where you go, oh, I'll follow
Through our bodies in the dark
We want it and it's perfect
With you in my arms
Where you go, oh, I'll follow
Through our bodies in the dark
You're mine
You're mine
You're mine
Mine
20. Opus Orange - It's What I Do
Mixed POV - just vibes. I feel like it describes them but can't explain it
...
every time you look for me you know
i think i might disappear
every time i look for you i know
the bright lights interfere
‘cause i’m not the kind that’s so easy to find
when you’re looking for me
you’re not the kind with the salt water eyes
at the bottom of the sea
so take my hand
we are the blind leading the blind
no i don’t have a plan
so let’s go where the sea meets the sky
now we're gonna float away
everything i want to say to you
gets washed away downstream
everything i want to give to you
is a shade of blue or green
i’m not the kind to draw straight lines
in the desert sand
you’re not the kind with peace of mind
and a gun in your hand
21. Illuminati Hotties - Toasting
Primarily Luffy POV. Just vibes. Short and sweet, flippant and reckless. They cause descruction and just laugh it off, and move on.
...
Toasting a Pop-Tart
And thinking of you
There's a lot I'd rather do
Instead I'm biting my lip
And I'm biting yours too
'Til the blood tastes like chocolate goo
Our bodies
Are twirling
The kitchen is burning
When we both choke down the ashes
You mention you're bored
I guess I could've toasted more
22. The Happy Fits - Sweet Things
Mixed POV after the end of their journey, pirate king and worlds greatests swordsman continue sailing together forever
...
So tell me three things, three words that you know about me
I'll say, I'll say "won't you come with me, baby?"
Nothing lasts forever
It's only now or never
Tell me sweet things, sweet things that you know about me
I'll say, I'll say "won't you bury me, baby?
Underneath our loving forever"
Don't you take me, take me all the way and then erase me
I could be the one if you stay here
Underneath our loving forever
So take me home
Well you say that nothing matters
Well you said that nothing mattered except when I'm here with you
Does it feel right? (Does it feel right?)
23. The Black Keys - Go
Narrator POV - The two boys growing old sailing together
...
There comes a time, two hearts of gold
Leave together, run forever on the open road
They gotta go oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh
They gotta go oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh
In the winter time, when the day is long
You're halfway there, the field is bare
And the fire is gone
Are you all alone? Are you feeling cold?
Find your flame, call her name, and hit the road
24. PUFFY - Love so Pure
Mixed POV - love so sure. two people perfectly suited for eachother from the start. mutual trust. soulmates. :)
...
I was his from the momentthe we first met
From our solo to duet, it took no time
Call it fate
Or just two hearts magnetized
But I never felt so high
Since he's been all mine
We've got a love so pure, yes a love so sure
The kind of love you hold so tight
We've got a love so pure, yes a
Love so sure
The kind of love that lasts a girl for life!
With a kiss
I can't resist on turn away
All I want is him to stay, it's paradise
With out a word
Nothing heard me say so much
With a look or silent touch
I know we'll bе all right
25. Tegan and Sara - BWU
Mixed POV - don't need to follow conventions to prove their love.
...
I love you
I don't need a ring to
Prove that you're worthy
You're under my skin
It's easy
I don't need a lock to
Prove that you trust me
I walk the walk
To be with you
Just to be with you
Oh, to be with you
Just to be with you
Save your first and last dance for me
I don't need a white wedding
Save your first and last born for me
We don't need a white wedding
All the girls I loved before
Told me they signed up for more
Save your first and last chance for me
'Cause I don't want a white wedding
26. IRONTOM - Partners
Just what it says on the tin. They're partners. lol
...
Partners, we're partners
We're partners, we're partners
27. Ashley Eriksson - Arguably
Mixed POV - idk, vibes
...
Sometimes I wish I was talkin' to you
'Cause you know everybody that I do
You would hear my story, and you would agree
We are always right on, you and me
And you can always count on my company
On and on and on, endlessly
We're all loving creatures of the same decree
But we've got one up on them don't we?
Don't we?
Arguably, don't we?
28. Animal Collective - The Purple Bottle
Luffy POV. Frantic. Explosive big feelings. Can't stop talking --about Zoro to other people, and to Zoro about anything (sometimes i'm talkitive and you're not talkitive, I know...). And idk, the vibes. "purple" as a metaphor for sensuality, feels playful and lovely. But the end of this song really drags on so it's at the end of the playlist lol.
...
I've gotta big big big heart beat, yeah!
I think you are the sweetest thing
I wear a coat of feelings and they are loud
I've been having good days
Think we are the right age to start our own peculiar ways?
With good friendly homes
//
Sometimes you're quiet and sometimes I'm quiet,
(Hallelujah!)
Sometimes I'm talkative and sometimes you're not talkative, I know
//
And my dear dear dear Khalana
I talk too much about you
Their ears are getting tired of me singing all the night through
Lets just talk together
You and me and me and you
And if there's nothing much to say
Well, silence is a bore.
//
Can I tell you that you are the purple in me?
Can I call you just to hear you would you care?
When I saw you put your purple finger on me
There's a feeling in your bottle
Found your bottle, found your heart
Gives a feeling from your bottled little part
------
Aaaand that's all of it!
Thanks for reading :)
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Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Seekers of Soul
[Chapter 51]
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AO3 Link
-
Tobias and Nia lead the crew of the Aqua Jet through the dungeon, fighting their way back home.
-
With the group's formation for the dungeon officially decided, they quickly fall into a rhythm.
Each time they reach a patch of land the riders separate from the swimmers and line up as instructed. When they reach the next patch of water, they regroup. Tobias keeps a sharp eye out for ferals and directs them the best he can, and Nia follows suit from the back of the party, making sure they don’t get attacked from behind again. Tobias trusts Beck, Nori, and Cordelia to keep an eye out underwater for anything that might be lurking there.
Tobias is just glad that he knows dragon rage, because he’s certainly getting a lot of use out of it. The move wears him out quicker than everything else in his arsenal, but it’s powerful and—most importantly—effective against the many water types they come across.
Considering how quickly everything could’ve gone sideways from the start, Tobias thinks it’s actually going pretty smoothly.
It would be going a lot smoother if Cordelia didn’t insist on attacking every feral they see and dragging the entire group into a fight. Tobias glares at the croconaw the first time she does it. The second time, he hisses for her to leave the ferals alone. After the third fight Cordelia starts for no reason, Tobias shoves past half their group to poke a finger into the croconaw’s chest.
“Would you stop attacking?!”
Cordelia crosses her arms. “This is dangerous territory—you said yourself that we need to keep moving to avoid getting ambushed. We should try to get the jump on them when we can.”
“They don’t need jumped! We need to avoid fights when we can!”
Cordelia doesn’t respond, but the set of her thick jaw and her narrowed eyes speak to how stupid she finds his argument.
Tobias throws up his arms. “Look—with a group this big, and an unknown dungeon? It’s idiotic to attack every ‘mon we see. We need to conserve energy.”
Cordelia growls. “If we don’t attack then they will. I could see that quagsire scheming!“
“He was asleep.”
“That’s what he wanted you to think!”
“Okay, okay, break it up,” Beck cuts in, physically stepping between them. He manages to look calm despite the tension in the air. “Delia? One stubborn ‘mon to another—listen to Tobias. He’s more experienced with navigating mystery dungeons. There’s no reason to go rarin’ for a fight if we don’t need to.”
Tobias shoots Cordelia a smug look under Beck’s arm. She wrinkles her snout.
“Y’know,” Nia cuts in. “I’m sure it’s not helping that we haven’t eaten. Why don’t we make a stop by the next set of stairs for a break?”
“All our food’s on the ship,” Ignatius grumbles.
“We have a few apples packed in our bag,” Tobias sighs. “We’ll have to make do with those.”
When they finally reach the next set of stairs, they make sure the room is clear of ferals before settling down by the exit for a quick getaway to the next floor.
They only have three apples packed to split between the eight of them, but Cordelia slices them into halves with her claws. Tobias gives her a look.
“I don’t need one, and the sableye doesn’t eat fruit. Right?”
The sableye jumps as everyone looks to him, then nods. “I-I’m not hungry anyways.”
Nia gives Cordelia a worried frown. “But won’t you get hungry? You need to keep your strength up.”
“She’s right, y’know,” Ignatius huffs, a cloud of smoke following the breath. “Stubborn girl.”
Cordelia pointedly ignores the torkoal and gets up with a grunt to patrol the hallways leading out of the room. Tobias is about to follow her and stuff his apple half down the stupid captain’s throat when Beck yanks him back down.
“What—“
“Save your breath. Not the first time Delia’s decided to be a martyr for the crew. If we haven’t been able to change her mind, you definitely won’t.”
Tobias wants to argue, but he glances at Cas and Nori, and even they have bitten into their apples with resigned expressions.
“That’s stupid,” Tobias growls, sitting down. He scorches his apple slice with a quick burst of fire before biting into the warmed fruit.
Beck shrugs. “Maybe. But she’s our captain for a reason. I’ll keep an eye on her.”
The apple makes the fatigue lapping at Tobias’ heels a bit less noticeable. They wrap up the snack quickly and move on to the next floor as soon as everyone is finished.
The next three floors are uneventful. Their formation works well for defending the group, and Tobias is grateful that only about half the ferals they run into are water types. His dragon rage is getting a lot more use and he feels himself draining quicker than usual, but he tries to keep moving forward at a steady pace.
They’re crossing another patch of grassy land when Tobias suddenly feels the ground underfoot shift with a distinct click. He looks down, panicked, at the faint square outline of a trap hidden beneath the grass.
Then the world spins and Tobias stumbles as he finds himself at the edge of a waterway notably different from his previous location. Beck, Ignatius, and little Cas stagger into being around him.
The back half of their group is nowhere to be seen.
“Great,” Tobias hisses.
“D-Delia?” Cas squeaks, looking around. He trips closer to Beck, looking up at the floatzel with wide eyes. “Where’d everyone else go?”
Beck looks to Tobias, brow furrowed.
Tobias sighs. “Probably a warp panel. There must be a psychic type on this floor who set it as a trap.”
“So the others..?”
“Should still be on this floor. We’ll just have to find them before moving on.”
Ignatius grumbles about his aching feet. Beck wordlessly scoops the torkoal up to carry him. Cas glues himself to the floatzel’s side.
Tobias nods, then turns to head down the grassy corridor, glad at least that they weren’t dropped into water this time. This is an annoying setback, but as long as they can reunite and keep moving, it’s nothing more.
Beck does a decent job warding off any ferals that approach from behind in Nia's absence, holding his own until Tobias can rush back to fling an ember or slash and take them out.
When they reach the next stretch of water, Beck ferries all three of them across with only a little strain. As soon as they touch shore Tobias hears something familiar.
Voices. The rustle of footsteps through grass, quiet but not as silent as most ferals tend to tread.
Tobias runs, following the noise down the hall, turning a corner and—
“Tobias!” Nia yelps, barely sidestepping him before they collide.
“Nia!” Tobias breathes, eyes flicking over her form before moving over her shoulder. He’s relieved to see her unhurt, but... “What happened to Cordelia and the sableye?”
Only Nori stands behind Nia, the golduck giving him a silent nod. Cas makes an excited chirp and runs to hug her leg.
“Cordelia ran off as soon as she noticed Cas warped somewhere else,” Nia says, giving Beck and Ignatius a strained smile over Tobias’ shoulder. “Carnelian panicked when we got attacked and bolted.”
Tobias curses under his breath. “This is why we don’t take escort missions.”
“Noted,” Nia says, voice edged with nervous laughter.
Another sound in the distance catches everyone’s attention. It sounds like…the rush of a water type move. Battle. It can’t be far.
Tobias and Nia exchange glances before heading for it. When they track down the room it’s coming from, they see Cordelia slamming into a bibarel with a powerful waterfall that knocks him hard into the wall of the dungeon. The bibarel slumps, unconscious.
Cordelia is breathing hard but turns with her formidable teeth bared when she hears footsteps. Then she falters, eyes skimming over the group before locking onto Cas. All at once, the tension outlining her body slackens.
“Oh, thank Kyogre.”
“Delia!” Cas sprints to her as fast as his little legs can carry him. Cordelia scoops him up and tucks him against her neck.
She looks back to the group, gaze skimming once more over each of them. “Just missing the sableye, then.”
Nia nods. “He got spooked. He can’t have gotten too far on his own, though.”
“Let’s hope not,” Cordelia mutters.
“Could just leave him,” Ignatius says, surprisingly casual.
Tobias and Nia both recoil from the suggestion. But where Nia looks horrified, Tobias’ face creases with anger.
“We aren’t leaving anyone!”
“We aren’t leaving the sableye,” Cordelia agrees, voice firm. She gives the torkoal a hard look. Ignatius shrugs, seemingly unbothered.
“Nori and I found the stairs back that way earlier,” Nia says, glancing over her shoulder. “So if we can find Carnelian quickly, we at least know where to go next.”
Tobias follows her gaze, trying to catalogue the general direction for later.
“I made a loop around that way,” Cordelia adds, pointing off in the opposite direction. “Didn’t see the little guy there.”
“He could be on the move,” Tobias mutters. But that still leaves a fourth hallway that no one seems to have traveled down yet. Might as well start there.
“This way. Back into formation,” Tobias says.
The group, clearly more tired than they were just a few floors ago, trudges back into order. Tobias takes a breath, then moves to lead them.
They run into two more ferals in the next few rooms—a parasect and a stunky that, luckily, don’t land any of their poison moves.
Then they hear a shrill, terrified shriek, just down the hall.
Tobias’ head snaps up. He bolts, hearing the rest of the group follow, moving loudly through the brush and puddles.
Tobias rounds the corner into a new room, and quickly takes in the picture in front of him.
They’ve found Carnelian. Unfortunately, the sableye has also found a massive crawdaunt. The large red water type is scarred, clearly an experienced fighter. It has the sableye pinned to the ground with one claw dwarfing his entire body. The other pincer is raised high, ready to finish him.
Type advantage or not, a blow like that could easily kill the frail ghost type. And they aren’t close enough to stop it.
If Nia weren’t at the back of the group, maybe she could use quick attack—
Or if Beck hadn’t frozen behind him with a choked breath—
Or if Tobias could—
If Tobias could—
Tobias wills the tired fire in his belly to burn hotter, desperation stoking it with a single quick breath. He braces himself. Molds his mouth into a whistle rather than the usual open mouthed breath of his ember.
Then he shoots a ball of flames lightning-quick across the room. It hits the crawdaunt in the back of the head and makes it flinch.
Tobias stares, panting, as the crawdaunt whips around with an angry chitter.
Did…did he just learn flame burst?
The crawdaunt abandons the cowering sableye and charges across the room. Tobias runs to meet it, opening up the entrance to the hall so Nia can step in to help.
The crawdaunt lunges, and Tobias rolls out of the way of its pincer. The crater it leaves in the dirt makes his heart skip a beat. They can't let themselves get hit by that.
Tobias darts in to try slashing at the feral. His claws barely scratch the crawdaunt’s tough carapace, almost bouncing off of it.
Tobias curses and steps back. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Beck hurrying over to scoop up Carnelian and carry the sableye out of harm’s way. Good.
The crawdaunt takes a breath and shoots out a jet of scalding water. It clips Tobias on the arm, and he hisses as he darts forward to roll under the crawdaunt’s tan underbelly and out the other side.
He has to use his dragon rage—it’s the only move in his arsenal that will even hurt this thing. But he can feel his dragon type energy running dangerously low, and knows he only has a few shots left. He was hoping to conserve them.
Guess he doesn’t have much of a choice.
Tobias inhales deep and releases a plume of purple flames that—finally—make the crawdaunt falter.
Right after, a blur of blue and black slams into the crawdaunt, right near the golden star topping its head. The force of the quick attack nearly manages to topple the water type, Nia rolling past it and clumsily back to her paws.
“About time,” he huffs.
“Sorry,” she pants. “Was dealing with something else.”
Tobias nods, eyeing the crawdaunt as it steadies itself. The quick attack seemed to do as little as his slash. Its hide must be tough—probably a higher defense than special defense.
“Water type?” Nia calls, dodging a heavy claw.
“Something else, too. Fighting, maybe? Or dark. Can’t remember.”
The crawdaunt is taking turns lunging at one of them and then the other. Tobias dodges and lashes out with a lick of purple flames that makes it stumble.
“It might be weaker to special attacks,” Tobias calls, cashing in on his guess.
Nia grunts as she deflects a claw with her aura staff. “Got it!”
Tobias knocks one of the crawdaunt’s legs out from under it with a swing of his tail, then skips back as it shoots another jet of water his way.
While it’s distracted, Nia forms a ball of aura in her paws and flings it into the crawdaunt’s side. It garbles something angrily and takes another swing at Nia that she barely dodges.
“Tough,” Nia huffs.
“No kidding.”
The two of them dart in and out to fight the water type. Tobias hears battling behind him too, where the rest of the group is, and hopes that Beck, Nori, and Cordelia can handle whatever attacked them. He and Nia have their hands full as is.
Nia finally gets knocked aside by one of the pincers. She wasn’t hit head-on, thankfully, but still hard enough to send her rolling across the grass.
“You all right?” Tobias shouts. He shoots another dragon rage at the crawdaunt, but his flames sputter. He’s almost out. Exhaustion drags heavy at his limbs.
Nia shakes her head, but it’s more of a grounding gesture than a no. She stumbles back to her paws, then braces herself. Tobias can see a glint of something in her eyes, and that makes him nervous.
Before he can worry about it too much, Nia darts forward with another quick attack, slamming hard into the crawdaunt. This time, the crawdaunt is sent skidding back. It’s a notable difference from the first time she hit it.
Tobias pauses, panting, and looks at Nia. The riolu is grinning with a victorious expression. Looks like she figured something out.
When the crawdaunt lumbers back to its feet, it’s visibly unsteady. Finally slowing down.
Nia and Tobias move forward to attack again. They both focus on quick, weaker moves to chip away at it while staying out of range.
Nia is the one to finish it, forming a much larger than usual sphere of bright blue aura in her paws. She shoots it at the crawdaunt, and it explodes against the water type with a flash of light.
The crawdaunt goes down, landing with a heavy rustle in the lush grass.
Tobias takes a moment to be sure it’s knocked out. Then, he slumps to the ground to catch his breath. Nia stumbles over and flops down beside him.
“What,” he gasps. “Was that about?”
Nia laughs. “I figured out work up!”
Tobias blinks. “Really? From Cas?”
Nia nods, grinning.
Tobias snorts. “Cool. I think I learned flame burst.”
“New move buddies!” Nia cheers, falling over completely, clearly exhausted and half-loopy with adrenaline.
Tobias barks a laugh, weakly raising a fist. “New move buddies. Sure.”
Tobias finally remembers that they aren’t alone, and looks over to find the rest of their group. Luckily, they all seem to be in one piece, even if Cordelia is limping a bit and Beck is scuffed and muddy.
“Everyone all right?” Tobias asks.
“This one would be better if she would’ve eaten something,” Beck snorts, giving Cordelia an unimpressed look.
The croconaw curls her lip and gives him a glare in return.
“Carnelian?” Nia asks.
Tobias finally notices the sableye huddled up against the floatzel’s belly and shivering with fear. The ghost type jumps at the question, visibly shaking, but nods.
Cordelia whistles. She’s looking past them, at the crawdaunt they’d downed. “Nice work.”
“Thanks,” Nia huffs, struggling to her feet. She holds out a paw to help Tobias up after her.
He feels exhausted. Utterly drained. What he wouldn’t give to make a nest in the corner of the room and go to sleep right now.
“We’d better keep moving,” he says instead.
Everyone nods, clearly equally fatigued. They get back into order, and Tobias turns their group around to head back the way they came, to where Nia and Nori said they’d seen the stairs.
Tobias tries to avoid battles entirely on the following floors. They’re all tired and they can’t afford any real injuries. All conversation has petered out by this point, everyone just trying to conserve their breath.
They’re on the 19th floor—or maybe the 20th—when Tobias hears a barely-there rustle ahead, and freezes. The line stops behind him.
A little Pokemon stumbles out of the grass, squeaking a hiss when it notices their group. It’s a blue nidoran. A tiny one, no more than a baby. Its eyes are white and mindless, tiny barbs raised with poison.
Tobias can’t look away from the scratch across its side, bleeding sluggishly against pale blue skin. He doesn’t know if it was attacked or just injured by the environment. It wouldn’t take much to hurt something so fragile.
Tobias swallows against a lump in his throat. He has a soft spot for kids, so of course his first instinct is to help. But he can guess how it’ll react in its feral state. How it’ll spit and bite and poison anyone that comes near until it can wriggle free and flee in blind fear.
Could they take the nidoran kit along? Everything in him recoils at the thought of having to knock out a child, and he doesn’t even know when they’ll be able to get to the guild. What if he just makes it worse trying to relocate her?
A louder rustle of brush and a single heavy stomp is their only warning before a much larger, darker blue Pokemon emerges from the brush, towering over even Beck and Nori.
A nidoqueen.
Tobias tenses up now for an entirely different reason. He throws out an arm, hearing everyone behind him hold their breath. The silence is heavy.
The nidoqueen rumbles a low growl that Tobias can feel in his chest. She steps forward to plant herself between them and her child.
They’re at a standstill. Tobias is torn between anxiety that she’ll attack their already weakened group, and relief that the nidoran has anyone to defend her at all. Even relatively mindless, at least feral Pokemon seem to protect their young.
Slowly, the nidoqueen lowers her body. For a heart-stopping moment, Tobias thinks she’s preparing to charge. But then he hears the scratch of tiny claws on hard armor and sees the nidoran climb atop the nidoqueen’s back to settle between her plates. Now that she’s hunched over, Tobias spots a second purple lump already clinging to her: another nidoran.
Tobias wonders if any other kids got lost in this chaos. His chest squeezes.
The nidoqueen rises and turns as if to leave. Tobias steps forward, panicked.
That scratch on the nidoran, it…it’s nothing that would kill the kit on its own, but it’s only been an hour or two since the dungeon started. It could be weeks until their minds clear. What if it gets infected? What if she gets hurt more?
The nidoqueen’s head snaps back to him, thick teeth bared and accompanied by a warning growl.
“Tobias!” He hears Nia whisper-yell.
Tobias lowers his eyes and reaches slowly into their satchel. He feels around until he finds what he’s looking for. Then he crouches, slow. Slow. And gently rolls the oran berry forward so it stops just in front of the nidoqueen.
The nidoqueen hisses, hunching lower and flexing her claws. But then she pauses, sniffing the air. Her blank white gaze flicks down to the blue fruit and back up.
Tobias doesn’t dare move.
The nidoqueen reaches out to snatch the oran berry. She gives it one more sniff before gently biting into it to hold it in her mouth.
She glances at Tobias one more time. Her eyes are still blank, and there isn’t a shred of anything like gratitude or confusion present. Just primal wariness.
But she has the oran berry. Even at a baser level, she probably knows to feed it to her injured kit. It’s the best they can do.
The nidoqueen huffs and continues on through the grass. Her heavy steps quickly fade, and Tobias can feel the tension of the group follow.
Nia, who had apparently snuck closer to stand as Tobias’ backup, sighs. “I was really hoping we wouldn’t have to fight them.”
Tobias nods, trying to put the nidoran kit out of mind. “…Let’s keep moving.”
Nia must be able to tell where his mind is, because she reaches out to squeeze his hand before moving back to the tail of the group.
Tobias is just grateful his partner is enough of a bleeding heart to not get upset about his poor decision to waste their second-last oran berry. She probably would’ve done the same.
Or maybe she’s thinking about the same thing Tobias is. Thinking about how all of these Pokemon are only endangered because of the weakening dimensional border. How it’s only going to get worse from here. If that nidoran survives her time in the dungeon, she’ll die all the same if the border breaks entirely.
Tobias blows out a breath. Then, he forces his feet forward. He doesn’t have time to think about this right now.
Tobias enters an exhausted haze after that encounter. He still tries to pay attention as he leads the group through the dungeon, but he knows he isn’t as alert as usual, and they’re only 20 or so floors in. He tries not to think about what they’ll do if this dungeon is a freak incident and is a hundred floors deep. How they’ll survive. He tries not to think much at all, to conserve mental energy.
Once or twice, Beck and Nori step in when they run into another feral. Tobias knows he must look dead on his feet for them to do so, but he can’t find it in himself to be upset about the help. He’s stubborn, but not a total idiot.
He is enough of an idiot to not even realize they’re out of the dungeon at first.
He just starts walking after they warp, picking a direction. It takes a solid ten steps before he realizes he isn’t in a room, or a corridor. Half-convinced he’s hallucinating, Tobias blinks and looks behind him.
Everyone else seems similarly baffled, looking around with wide eyes. But no, the forest around them is open and unstructured. Natural. Tobias can hear the dull roar of the river nearby.
“Are…are we out?” Cas asks.
There’s a heavy silence before Nori nods.
Nearly all of them slump to the leaf-littered ground, a collective breath of tension leaving them. Tobias tilts his head back against the closest tree and just. Takes a moment.
They made it. He and Nia got the group through the dungeon safely. He didn’t realize how much pressure he’d felt to do so until it was lifted.
After what seems like barely a minute but is likely longer, Cordelia suggests they head back to the river.
“It’ll be the best way to navigate our way north,” she adds once she sees Tobias’ doubtful look. “We follow the river upstream, and we find civilization.”
Tobias, unfortunately, can’t argue with that. With a groan, he drags himself to his feet and trudges through the greenery of the forest beside Nia. Cordelia, even hungry and sporting a limp, can take charge out here. He’s too tired to fight her for the leadership position.
When they get to the river itself, all of the water types relax at the sight of the familiar waterway. As they take another moment to recharge, Cordelia crosses her arms with a thoughtful sound.
“What?” Nia asks.
“Just thinking.” The croconaw turns her head to scan Nori and Beck. “How’re you two feeling?”
Beck straightens. “All right. Little tired.”
Nori just gives her a nod.
Cordelia looks back out over the water. “The river is still high here, but it’s a bit calmer. How do we feel about swimming it?”
Tobias feels his face pale. “Swimming it?”
Cordelia snorts. “Not you, of course. We’d carry you, like we did in the dungeon.”
Tobias doesn’t feel very comfortable with the idea. Or comfortable at all. Whereas the water in the dungeon was relatively calm, this river is still surging quick and frothy and strong. He falls into that and he’s almost definitely dead unless one of the water types rescue him.
“We trusted you to cover us in the dungeon,” Cordelia says, voice confident but not antagonistic for once. “Trust us to get you back north.”
Tobias swallows. “Why can’t we just walk?”
“We could,” Cordelia snorts. “But we’d be moving twice as slow. And using more energy to boot, walking up and down the slopes and around brambles.”
“What about the boat?” Cas asks, voice small.
Cordelia sighs, ruffling the quaxly’s blue head feathers. “We’ll have to wait for the dungeon to pass and hope it makes it out in one piece. Nothing we can do about it as is.”
“Delia has a point,” Beck cuts in. “Water travel would be easier and quicker.”
“Really?” Nia asks. “Even if you have to swim with us on your back?”
“Yup,” Beck says with a wink. “We’re made for the water. We’ll just have to take breaks every few hours.”
“Nori?” Cordelia checks.
“I’m fine with that,” Nori says, quiet as usual.
Nia glances at Tobias, as if to question if he’s all right with this plan. He isn’t, and he knows that if he insisted on walking Nia would stick with him. The whole crew probably would, honestly, but it’s objectively the worse decision.
“Fine,” he mutters. “You’d better not drop me, though.”
“Or me,” Ignatius huffs.
Oh, right. Tobias is perversely glad that there’s at least one other fire type dealing with this less-than-ideal situation.
They move back into a similar formation as the one they used in the dungeon. Cas, of course, hops on Cordelia’s shoulder. Nia, Tobias, and Carnelian go with Beck. Ignatius, heavier than the three of them combined, crawls onto Nori’s back.
Then, with one last look around and an instruction to call for a break as soon as needed, they’re ready to go.
Cordelia leads the way, slipping silently into the dull roar of the river. Nori follows, Ignatius crouched low against her blue feathers.
Beck slinks into the water after them, cutting easily through the current. His tails spin and his body weaves gently side-to-side, and if Tobias didn’t feel so on-edge he’d admire how smoothly Beck is navigating such rough waters.
As is, Tobias scoots closer to the middle of Beck’s back, tail curled tightly around his middle. The water is so close, barely below the level he’s sitting on. Every few seconds, the river sprays high enough to mist painfully against Tobias’ skin.
“Here,” Nia says, offering Tobias his poncho from their satchel. He didn’t even hear her rustling through it.
“Thanks,” Tobias murmurs, pulling the leafy green garment over his head. While his heart slams against his chest still at the closeness of the water, he’s relieved to have the burning cool spray of the river gone.
Nia settles in, pressed against his side. Carnelian sits closer to Beck’s tails, curled around his backpack and dead silent.
“All right?” Nia whispers.
Tobias jerks a nod. He’s as all right as he’s going to get. At least it’s getting close to evening, so they probably won’t be able to travel too long before stopping for the night.
Nia reluctantly leaves Tobias alone to check on Carnelian. The sableye jumps when Nia addresses him, but nods as she asks if he’s all right.
“You didn’t get hurt earlier?”
Carnelian hesitates.
Nia frowns. “What hurts?”
Carnelian shakes his head. “I-I’m okay, I just—just a bit bruised. When I breathe.”
Nia glances at Tobias, concern clear on her face.
Tobias sighs but reaches into their satchel and pulls out the last oran berry to hand over.
“Will this help?” Nia asks, voice soft. “Or can you not eat it?”
Carnelian is surprised enough to actually meet Nia’s eyes with his own creepy gemstone ones. “I-I can eat it, but…I couldn’t take your berry—“
“We want you to have it,” Nia presses. “If it hurts to breathe, that means something’s wrong. Please?”
Carnelian crumbles under the riolu’s sad expression. Not that Tobias can blame him.
The sableye reaches out to take the oran berry with shaky claws, glancing at Nia and then Tobias once more before eating it in two large bites. Immediately after, Tobias can see a bit of the wire-sharp tension loosen from the ghost type’s posture.
“Thank you,” Carnelian says.
“No problem,” Nia returns, smiling warmly. “So it did help, right?”
“Y-Yes. Berries don’t have all the daily nutrients sableye need, since minerals are the main part of our diet. But the healing properties still work.”
“Cool!” Nia says, smiling earnestly. Tobias could guess that she has a hundred follow-up questions that she’s only holding back for the sake of Carnelian’s nervous nature.
The sableye gives her a shaky smile in return before looking away.
Tobias snorts and looks back out over the river. If he wasn’t so terrified of falling into the swift current, he could see how traveling upstream like this could actually be…relaxing. In the late afternoon sun, between the white currents, the river shimmers with reflected bits of light. The trees on either side of the river cast long shadows, a warped mirror of the forest landscape. The dull roar of the water is constant enough to fade to something almost soothing.
Tobias can’t fully relax, but his tense muscles do loosen to something less stiff. As he starts to check back into the Pokemon around him, he notices Nia casting Beck hesitant looks. Every minute or so, her gaze moves back to his head, where his snout is half-submerged in the water. Her mouth opens then closes, as if to say something.
Finally, she speaks aloud. “Hey, Beck?”
The floatzel lifts his head to look back at them over his shoulder. “Yeah?”
“Can I ask you a question?”
“Don’t see why not! We certainly have the time.”
Nia smiles at the comment, but she’s clearly distracted. She takes a few moments to gather her thoughts, dipping her paw into the water. “Earlier, when you got hit in the dungeon, you called me Hazel.”
Beck looks surprised at that, his smooth swimming stalling before picking up again. “Oh. Well, apologies for that! Hazel’s my mate, y’see. And you…remind me of her quite a bit.”
“I’m not upset or anything,” Nia says, waving her paws in front of her. “If anything I’m flattered. But I just…” Nia trails off, frowning. She’s clearly weighing a question in her mind.
“You said you live up north, closer to the guild,” Nia finally blurts. “Would you happen to live in Afon’s Cap?”
For the second time, Beck’s swimming falters as he blinks back at Nia, clearly surprised. “…That I do.”
That seems to be all the confirmation Nia needs. She beams, leaning forward into Beck’s space. “Then that means—are you Hazel’s husband? The raichu? Your daughter’s a pikachu named Margot, right? A-And your grandkids are Tommy and Theo?”
Beck grins back, equally delighted. “You know my family? How wonderful! How did you meet them?!”
Tobias would like to know, too, giving Nia a perplexed look. She said Afon’s Cap, right? When they went there, it was before they really restarted their team, when he was still being a major jerk.
Funny, how that feels like so long ago now.
Nia wanted to go there so bad to look for someone, a former human, and—
Hazel. Her name was Hazel. The psychic type raichu that Nia mailed a letter to asking for a human bed! Of course!
“Yeah! I went looking for her because—“
Tobias elbows Nia, and gives a pointed nod behind them at Carnelian’s quiet presence.
Nia falters, but then says, “W-Well, I wanted to ask her some questions. Advice, really. I’m from the same place she is!”
Beck’s eyes widen as he catches her meaning. “I had a feeling that was the case after you shook my paw so quickly! Picked up that fun little habit from Hazel.”
Nia giggles. Tobias vaguely recalls staring stupidly at Beck’s outstretched paw when they first met.
“She mentioned meeting a—“ Beck glances past them, at Carnelian. “A sweet young Pokemon looking for advice, but I never thought it would be you. What a coincidence! I can’t wait to tell her—she’ll be thrilled to know you’re out saving wayward crews like ours.”
“Tell her I said hi! Oh, and that Tobias and I worked out our issues!”
Tobias flushes at that comment, especially when Beck raises a wry brow in his direction.
“Ah, the troublemaking partner. You put Hazel in quite the mood for days, according to Mar.”
“Sorry,” Tobias huffs, sounding more petulant than repentant. He looks away, embarrassed.
Thankfully, Beck just chuckles and looks back to Nia. “You all come down and visit when you find the time, all right? The girls and my grandkids could always use more friends from outside the Cap.”
Nia, of course, seems thrilled at the thought, already chattering away about it. Tobias doesn’t say anything, instead turning his head to watch the river and the forested shoreline drift by in the approaching dusk.
It’s getting too dark for the water Pokemon to see properly in the water when they decide to pull off to shore. Beck drags himself onto the sandy riverside and collapses there.
Nia scrambles off his back to crouch by his head. “Are you okay?”
“Just tired,” he soothes, yawning.
Nia sits back, relieved, and watches Cordelia and Nori pull themselves onto land with equally fatigued movements.
“We’ll go look for food and wood to start a fire while you three catch your breath,” Tobias says.
Beck raises a paw to give her a thumbs-up. Nia laughs at the gesture and moves towards the treeline, beckoning Tobias after her.
“Can I come too?“ Cas asks, fluttering on their heels.
“Sure!”
“Well I’m stayin’ here,” Ignatius says, settling into the sand.
Tobias rolls his eyes, but grabs their satchel from where it had slipped off his shoulder. A few of their items spill out, and Tobias groans, probably more dramatically than he needs to.
Nia snickers. “Calm down. I’ve got it.”
She crouches to scoop up their wayward items, but pauses once she grabs one of their badges.
“What?” Tobias asks.
Nia doesn’t answer, but she does click their badge on. Tobias bends to see what’s caught her attention.
Oh. They’re in range of the guild now.
“Does that mean..?” Nia starts.
Tobias grins, feeling a relieved sort of exhaustion fall over him. He snatches the badge to look closer. Just to make sure.
They must’ve traveled farther north through that dungeon than they’d thought. They’re finally close enough to the guild for the psychics’ range to reach them.
“Hey!” Tobias calls, looking over at Cordelia’s crew.
The croconaw lifts her head, annoyed. “I thought you were going to find food.”
Tobias wiggles the badge in his hand. “We’ll do you one better. Anyone want a lift to the guild?”
That catches everyone’s attention.
“We’re close enough?” Nori asks.
Nia nods.
“Then what are you waiting for?!” Cordelia says. “Get over here!”
Even Tobias can’t find it in himself to get irritated with the croconaw. Not after the day they’ve had. Everyone gathers close together on the beach as Tobias and Nia prepare their badges to send out a pick-up request.
“All right. Ready?” Tobias asks.
"Make sure you’re touching one of us,” Nia adds. “Or each other. As long as there’s some connection, you should be fine.”
Tobias feels Nori’s cool, webbed hand land on his shoulder and Cas’ feathers against his leg. On three, Tobias and Nia send out their pickup request. The badge in Tobias’ hand glows, and he tightens his grip.
Then, in a flash of golden light, Tobias feels the familiar vertigo of psychic warping.
In an instant they’re back in a familiar room lit by the blue crystals from below the guild. The uneven wooden flooring underfoot is familiar, and the treelike architecture around them even more so.
A pair of abra look surprised to see them, staring at the extra six Pokemon they’ve brought along.
The left abra slumps, voice dry. “That explains the extra weight.”
The right one sighs. “Next time, please alert us if you’re bringing tagalongs.”
“Sorry,” Nia says, sheepish. “Actually, can you, um…show me how to do that?”
While the right abra does so, pointing at Nia’s badge with a claw, Tobias scans their party to make sure everyone made the journey. They did, and the other abra is already going through the usual guest spiel of marking down everyone’s names and species for the records, as well as telling Cordelia where to find the cafeteria and guest quarters.
For the first time since this morning, Tobias feels himself truly relax. Almost immediately, a wave of exhaustion follows. He cannot wait to go to sleep. And in their own soft nest! They haven’t been home in over a week, and there’s nothing like sleeping in your own nest.
When their group finally departs from the psychics’ quarters, they’re in high spirits. Cordelia is running her maw about food and Beck is laughing in response. Cas is looking around with wide eyes, and even Nori and Ignatius, the quietest of the crew, seem at ease.
“So,” Cordelia says, hands on her hips. “Riolu. Charmander. We don’t exactly have much to give you in thanks, considering the Aqua Jet is stranded at the moment. What say we waive your travel fee and let your guildmaster know you two deserve a heap of Seeker points or whatever your reward system is?”
Tobias snorts. Not a great deal, but better than nothing, he supposes. “Fine.”
“Are you heading out right away?” Nia asks, ears lowering.
Beck smiles and reaches out to put a paw on her head. “We’ll stay the night, but then we’ll probably head south. If we’ve gotta stick around somewhere for a few weeks to wait for the dungeon to pass, I want to see my family.”
“And we can at least take odd jobs around Afon’s Cap to earn some cash,” Cordelia adds.
“You’re welcome to join us if you’d like,” Beck offers.
Tobias can see that Nia wants to accept, but she shakes her head. “I…we have somewhere we need to be, unfortunately. Say hi to Hazel and everyone for me?”
Beck’s smile droops, but he doesn’t argue. “Will do. Just make sure you come visit in the future, all right? Hazel would love to talk to you again.”
Nia nods, brightening. “Of course! As soon as we can.”
“Good kid,” Beck says, pulling Nia into a hug. She goes willingly, burying her face in the floatzel’s fluffy chest.
When they part, Nia wipes at her eyes. “Are you sure you’ll be able to make it to Afon’s Cap all right on your own?”
Cordelia snorts. “We ain’t helpless, believe it or not. We’ll get directions and be just fine. It’s not far from here.”
“Thank you again,” Nori says, quiet voice commanding everyone’s attention. She offers them the barest hint of a smile. “For guiding us through the dungeon, and for the company.”
Cas gives them each a hug as well before the crew of the Aqua Jet heads off down the hall, waving their goodbyes and thanks.
“Come find us if you’re ever dying to get back on the water, Charmander!” Cordelia shouts.
Tobias rolls his eyes and turns back to Nia—
Only to realize that there’s still someone here, waiting for them to notice him.
“Oh!” Nia sniffs, wiping the last of tears out of her eyes. “Hey, Carnelian. Do you need something?”
Carnelian shuffles his feet and tugs at his backpack straps. Finally, he says, “Th-Thank you. For protecting me back in the dungeon.”
Nia exchanges a surprised look with Tobias. “Of course! It was no problem.”
“All part of the job,” Tobias adds.
Tobias is surprised when Carnelian shakes his head, voice adamant enough to lose its constant tremor. “No. To many, it’s not. Not for a ghost. I didn’t even hire you.”
Oh. Tobias gets what he means now, and suddenly he feels a hot bloom of shame in his chest for how suspicious and annoyed he’d felt about sableye for the first half of their trip. Ignatius’ lackadaisical suggestion to ditch the sableye in the dungeon comes back to him.
Nia’s ears pin, her eyes wide. “…I’m sorry. That you’ve, um…dealt with that before.”
Carnelian shakes his head, but his voice is back to its usual shaky warble. “I-I just wanted to thank you. And say that I don’t have much to offer, b-but if you ever need anything you think I can assist with, please don’t hesitate to ask.”
Nia smiles. “Well, thank you. We appreciate it. Beck mentioned you’re working up north?”
Carnelian nods, something almost like excitement lifting his head. “Yes! I-I’m something of a researcher of rocks and minerals. I was called in to analyze unusual crystal formations found under the Silenfroar Mountains. I should be there for at least a few months.”
“If we ever need to, uh…learn about rocks? Then we’ll keep you in mind,” Tobias says.
Nia elbows him for his awkward statement, and he gives her a pointed shrug. He wasn’t even trying to be snarky!
Nia gives Carnelian a smile. “We appreciate it, really. Safe travels north!”
Carnelian nods, a weak smile flickering across his face. Then he scurries off towards the guest quarters after the crew.
“He’s sweet,” Nia coos.
Tobias rolls his eyes. “He’s fine. A little nerdy.”
“I’m a little nerdy,” Nia counters, giving him a playful glare.
“Yeah, you are. Now. What first? Food? Sleep?”
Nia looks thoughtful. “…Maggie?”
Tobias stops. Thinks of his adoptive mother’s warm smile and relaxing scent. “Maggie. Definitely Maggie.”
The two of them move to take the stairs up to the medicinal floor, slowly for the sake of their exhausted bodies.
“You think she’d let us crash in her room tonight? Oh, but I guess Sage has our alcove now…”
Tobias scoffs. “Forget the alcove. Maggie would be thrilled if we camped out right next to her.”
Nia beams, picking up her pace for the next few steps and bouncing ahead. “Sleepover!”
“Only if she has food. No way am I going all the way down to the cafeteria and back up again.”
“When doesn’t Maggie have food?”
Tobias’ mouth twitches with a smile. “Fair point.”
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